redemption [kismet]

[Deleted]

Text. Speech. Thought. Others.

---

The wind was harsh and unforgiving. The trees turned into black silhouettes, menacing over her defenseless, beaten body, making her shiver in terror. The sky was painted pitch black, and the moon's demonic face returned. It's grin was terrifying, and Inaya didn't want to look at it anymore, but it was so big in the sky, that she couldn't help herself. She was still curled up in a ball, but her body was bleeding. She opened her bloodshot eyes, and their sight landed upon a figure in front of her. She had given up. The shadow suddenly gained color, depth and texture, and transoformed into a Mexican wolf; it's fur resembled Inaya's, but its eyes were piercing yellow. His face was darkened, so the only thing that shone bright were his eyes and his teeth, forming a distorted grin that made Inaya tremble in his presence. Yet, her grip on the situation was strange. She had given up. She was trembling, yet she didn't care about what was going on. She was scared and terrified, yet her body remained somewhat relaxed. Her eyes lowered and met the ground, and her body remained in that curled position. She was sick and tired of suffering. 

You thought you could get rid of me, but you can't. I'll never leave you alone.

Inaya looked at Turok hesitantly, but her eyes drifted back down to the ground. A lone tear escaped from her grey eyes. Suddenly, a bright light made Turok disappear in a fog of vapor.

Two days had passed since that dreaded day. A misty morning was dawning upon a multicolored ball of fur that still remained anchored to the tree's roots. It was cold, and this time, she was not accompained; she could feel the coldness of the morning on its entirety, and her body reflected her emotions by shivering uncontrollably. She felt alone, battered and broken. Her legs were bleeding, bitten and pain-filled, because she had exploded in a panic attack earlier, which made her bite her own legs like she did before. After two days, she never moved from the tree, and only moved to stretch her legs and to take care of her basic necessities. Inaya sighed and whimpered, hoping to be found yet at the same time, she wanted to be alone.

She thought many things. How her parents abandoned her, leaving her to fend for herself and to grow in terror because of her brother. She thought about how different life would have been if her brother was a good wolf instead of the demon he was. She thought about how depressed she had been and about how much time she had wasted in the nights, thinking about him. Then, she thought about Kismet; how he had broken so many walls so quickly was a mystery to her, yet it was a mystery that she didn't care if she understood it. She was just happy it happened. 

She thought about what had happened, making her eyes water again. Did she want to be found again? What if he hurt her once more, and she went back to square one again? She shook off her thoughts and picked herself up from the roots, and decided to head over to Nytyte River to refresh herself in the cold and crystalline waters of the river. She walked at a moderate pace, yet it was not constant, sometimes going slower and sometimes going faster. After a few hours, she arrived to her destination; the waters were welcoming and filled with life, making her eyes relax as soon as she laid them upon the view.

Inaya walked and placed a paw in the water and then submerged her two front legs to cleanse the blood away. She then lowered her head to drink from its crystalline waters, always on the lookout for any danger. As she drank, she felt refreshed on the inside, yet when she finished drinking, Inaya saw her reflection on the water. It was blurry, but she saw herself there for the first time; she saw her two fluffy ears, her sad demeanor and her grey eyes that looked back at her. Then, in her mind, the reflection's fur turned white, and its eyes turned blue. He was there with her, next to her, telling her that he was sorry. Yet, when she thought that it was true, she looked to her side and no one was there. She was alone, and broken.

If he reappeared, she didn't know how would she react. She could be aggressive, or extremely distant with him, or maybe she would just stay still, listening to every word in disbelief and happiness. She had no clue, due to her unpredictable ways. Inaya retrieved her legs and her body from the water and walked alongside the river up north, trying to find a safe place to rest. She saw a good place across the waters, so she crossed the river carefully to reach it. Inaya got out of the water and shook it off, walking slowly towards the area of rest. It was a small area next to a tree that had some flowers next to it and soft, inviting grass. She laid down and rested her head on top of her front legs, sighing. Without Kismet, she felt that a half of her had died. Inaya admitted to herself that she loved him. She loved everything about him, from his smile to his soul. Without him, she felt so alone.

So, so alone.

OOC: aww ;w; </33 reply soon!

Tag: @kismet

Words: 934

Mood: alone

Muse: fair!

[Deleted]

The white male was exuberant, frantic, despairing, and determined all at once. His paws thundered on the terrain loudly. He was coming from the direction of the Shydar. It had been two days since that horrific day, but Kismet hadn't slept at all. All the afternoon and night of the first day he had frantically searched. He had began to despair when she couldn't be found, but kept up the search. He searched night and day, not stopping even to satisfy his needs. Where could she be? He was determined to find her...but what if...what if she had been killed? And this was why he despaired. He could not allow his last words to her to be the angry, hateful ones he had spoken. No. He simply couldn't allow that.

And then he had run into Zira. He hadn't forgotten Inaya. No, his search for her and her very presence and safety remained prevalent in his mind as he spoke with his friend. And he had realized, upon seeing Zira and speaking to her, that he loved Inaya. It wasn't the same passionate fire with which he loved Zira. It was a slow, passionately tender, sweet love. And it was far greater than his love for Zira. She would always hold a special place in his heart, but he looked to her now as a sister, and best friend. He knew how he would treasure her. But it wasn't the same. If he didn't spend the rest of his life with Inaya by his side, then his life wasn't worth living. Every moment that passed with her gone only intensified his pain. He had let out many a mournful howl in his search, and every day he felt worse. He felt incomplete. It was as if he was only Kismet when he was with her. And when he lost her, he lost himself. She took him with her when she ran, and if he didn't find her, he would lose himself forever.

But his mind wasn't even thinking about that. He name fluttered through his mind like the beat of a hummingbird's wings. It was erratic, and filled with agony. By now, he had really began to despair of her life. His mind kept taunting him painfully with scenarios and dreaded possibilities. His paws thundered along the ground at a quick pace. So quick, that the sound coincided with the racing of his heart. His body had lost some of its usual grace in his despair and agony, but it still retained its natural grace.

He was exuberant. He knew that he loved her. And when he found her--when not if--he would make her know it. She would know it, and if she didn't accept him, he would beg of her. He would say anything and everything to make her forgive him. But if she refused still...he would leave her. Along with himself. He would leave, and would forthwith never bother her again. But only she--repeatedly--could deter him into this. He would let her call him Kizzy. No...he would plead with her to call him such. How could he have been so insensitive? How!

He shook his head in wonder, and that's when it happened. He caught her scent. Her beautiful, sweet, intoxicating scent. He stopped and wheeled, searching for the scent again. At first, he had no success. And then--there it was again! He grinned hugely. At last! He paused to determine which direction was fresher, and then slowly headed toward her. He went slowly, so that he could think of how best to first address her. He looked down, keeping his nose on the trail. And then he stopped. A salty, iron smell came into his nostrils. He knew the smell immediately.

Blood.

And then he saw the bloodied paw prints, as well as the drops of blood that fell all along the scent trail. He sped up, darting forward. His ears caught the rushing of Nytyte River before his blue eyes beheld it. But he paid no attention. He broke from the trees and bounded to the riverside. His ears were perked forward, his tail straight out. His eyes were full of his agony, but also contained a new, miserable worry in them as his eyes followed the blood trail. It led into the water and ended. The scent trail mimicked it. He thought that she had tried to cross, but had been too injured and had drowned. After all, there was no blood anywhere on the opposite bank. But he refused to believe this. He galloped across the river rapidly, and began going up and down the opposite bank in rapid succession. He head was to the ground, working swiftly. And then he would pause, lift his head, and smell the air. His jaws parted to further gather anything. And then he would go back to smelling the bank, like a hound dog.

Suddenly, he froze, and slowly lifted his cranium. Blue eyes quickly focused on the form. She was underneath a shady tree, contributing to why he had not seen her before. His heart twisted painfully and rejoice-fully at the same time. He was so glad that she was alive, but he ached when he saw her. Her front legs bore recent scars. She had been biting them in aggravated pain. Just like before he came along...when she was still plagued by her dead brother, Turok. He couldn't help it. A whimper escaped his open maw, and his face contorted in agony. He had caused that. He almost turned and left right then. He didn't deserve her. How could he when he had...? But her gray eyes held him captive, when he finally met them. No...he may not deserve her, but she deserved his apology. At least that. He opened his maw to speak, afraid that she would run away again, but his voice broke painfully after only one word. And then she would have time to react before he could speak again.

Inaya--

"Talking."

WORDS: 000 | TAGGED: @inaya | NOTES: omg...I'm going to die from dehydration. everyone will wonder how it's possible for someone to cry themselves to death. ;u; reply soon!!

[Deleted]

Text. Speech. Thought. Others.

---

"Inaya--"

Two grey eyes shot open at the familiar voice. She lifted her head and saw the source. A white, snowy figure stood in front of her, with a heartbroken stare and a shaky voice. Inaya's eyes watered at the sight, but her mind was blurried by pain, even if her heart wanted to fly towards him, to embrace him and never let him go. She stood up, and her body tensed, and she hid her tail under her legs, and trembled. She was afraid and tired of being hurt all the time, so she wanted to make it clear somehow. Her ears flattened, and her eyes slowly looked at the ground. "...Hello."

Her voice was dry, cold and it spilled pain in every letter that came from her maw. She was hurt, not because of what happened exactly, but because she didn't expect it from him. Kismet was the only wolf that had broken barriers, cages, or prisons inside her mind, and at the same time, he was the only wolf to ever achieve the title of my love. That was a big name for Inaya, because she had never called someone this. She then looked at Kismet, directly to his eyes, and stood quiet when she realized something. This... this place. This was the same place where she had met Kismet. They had started everything here. From her aggressiveness to his calm demeanor, it was here that her life truly began. It seemed like years had passed, but in reality so little time had ran between them. However, she felt like they had known each other for ages, but at the same time, she felt she didn't know him at all.

She was open to the idea of getting to know him completely, day by day, for the rest of her life. But at this moment, instead of this, Inaya was in front of the one she loved, and the one that had hurt her. Her broken heart loved him, and every little piece desired Kismet, her shining knight, her protector, her everything... the only one she had to hold in this life. At first, she was cold, but every moment in front of him proved difficult. She just wanted to forget everything and lick him, hug him and cuddle him until she could no more. But, her body was stuck and frozen. Her voice, although tired and low, managed to talk once more. "...I... I'm sorry if I caused you any pain. I'm... I'm deeply sorry." Her overly-apologetic nature took off in a quick second, but she managed to compose herself. Inaya stood quiet, trembling, afraid of what was coming next...  

OOC: Done <3 reply soon! Inaya was clearly unsure of how to react, so I threw in a bunch of feelings at once xD

Tag: @kismet

Words: 451

Mood: sorry

Muse: fair!

[Deleted]

Kismet's utter, exhausted relief at find Inaya finally--and finding her alive at that--evaporated in half a second when she scrambled to her paws. Her whole body trembled, her muscles tensed, and her tail seemed permanently, tightly curled between her legs. Her gray eyes met his for only a second, before they dropped to the ground. She wasn't really standing--more like crouching. Her ears were pinned to her skull, and Kismet's eyes strayed down to her newly scarred legs. She barely parted her mouth and Kismet's ears perked forward automatically. Even so, he barely caught the one word that he mumbled.

...Hello.

Kismet's heart broke again at the sound. It was so painful that a whimper escaped his maw. His face burned with agony, and his normally blue gaze was a dark, stormy gray-blue. Her tone had been cold and dry. It sounded almost like an accusation, and agony dripped from every letter. Kismet's own tail slowly sunk between his legs, and he crouched slightly, instinctively trying to make himself smaller. He had not yet realized that this was the general area--no, the exact place--that they had first met. When everything had begun. His mind was wholly focused on the Mexican Wolf before him, and his ivory ears were again pinned flat against his skull.

And his head kept screaming at him, mocking him. He desperately needed to speak, but every time he tried, his voice broke and he couldn't continue. He wanted to howl, but he feared scaring her away. No, he must be very careful. How could you? You were the one who taught her to forgive! To be joyful! You heard her first laugh! And then you...how could you? How could you do that to her? His mind burned painfully. Scorching flames of pain and of regret burned through his taunting mind, permanently burning the questions and the scene into his mind. He would never forgive himself. Never. You said that you would never hurt her again. He advanced toward her one step, his entire body burning with the intense desire to touch her and to comfort her. But her trembling body, and her tightly tucked tail, and her gray eyes that bored a hole into the ground kept him at bay. She was terrified...of him. Monster!

Her gray eyes raised to his for a moment, and she stood quietly. Her gray eyes bore into his blue gaze as he stood there, head extended toward her, ears flat, one leg half-extended. He looked like a statue. He was frozen, as was she. Her stormy gray eyes turned lighter for a moment, and he desperately hoped that somehow it was him that had made a sort of wistful peace overtake her for a moment. And then, her eyes focused back on his, and they darkened once more. When she spoke, her voice was low and tired.

...I... I'm sorry if I caused you any pain. I'm... I'm deeply sorry.

Her apologetic nature was like a spear to his heart. His face twisted into guilt, and bore a torturous look as she stood there, trembling. She waited patiently, and her words echoed in his mind. He just couldn't...Suddenly, he found his voice. He opened his maw and spoke, voice strong, although filled with guilt, agony and regret. His words all rushed together in his hurry to say everything before he couldn't speak anymore.

Inaya I--please don't be sorry. Please, forgive me...I can't bear to see you in so much pain. I can't bear to see you afraid...of me. Please, let me explain. I told you my history once before, but let me further explain it to you. You see...that day that I got lost on my scouting mission...I was attacked by a truly cruel and evil pack. I was outside their borders, by the usual distance customary to all packs. But they...four of them attacked me at once. They boxed me in until I only had one place to go, and the last was waiting to attack me in that place. He gave me the scars on my left side. My torn ear was also acquired by one of them. And my limp results from after the scar on my left side. I was paralyzed by the pain, and the leader took my paw in his jaws and broke it. I crawled away to a safe place to heal...but after I was healed, I couldn't find my way back. And even so, I was truly terrified of meeting with those wolves again. Next time it would be my life, and I knew it. I had also lost all sense of direction. Somehow I wandered to a human dock whilst trying to find my way home. And you know the rest.

Kismet paused, and ventured his eyes towards her in an attempt to read her expression. But he changed his mind at the last second. It would be better if he did not know her thoughts until he finished, lest he lose his voice once more.

Inaya, I...Eclipse has called me 'Kizzy' since we were pups. And yet...you see...only she ever called me that. It was very special. When I lost my way, and then came here...I've felt very guilty. She must think me dead. I've caused her unnecessary grief, of that I am sure. And...the hunting tactic that we used...it was the one that Eclipse and I used to use when I allowed her to hunt with me. She has fragile health. So you see...when you called me Kizzy, it just...I was thrown again into my guilt. And...I...I'm terribly sorry. Please...I only ask that you forgive me my terrible crime.

He would not tell her the rest until he was sure that she had forgiven him. He would not ask too much of her at one time. He closed his maw and waited patiently, and finally, now he gazed into her gray eyes.

"Talking."

WORDS: 000 | TAGGED: @inaya | NOTES: reply soon!! Next post is when he tells her that he loves her and asks her to be his mate!!<33

[Deleted]

Text. Speech. Thought. Others.

---

Inaya saw that Kismet was just as frozen as she was. Her posture remained still, yet her eyes spoke a million words a minute. She was desperate to feel his touch and embrace once again, but her body betrayed her countless of times. Her grey eyes looked at Kismet with hurt yet with a small ray of hope. Her ears slowly lifted towards him, but her almost-crouching stance remained strong. She saw his heartbroken stare when she said hello, and his eyes turned stormy as he heard her apologize. Suddenly, she heard his voice. It was pure, broken, sincere and hopeful, but also filled with regret. He spoke to her about what happened to him, what gave him his limp and scars, and what made him react the way he did. He told her that only his sister called him Kizzy, and apparently it was a soft spot for him still which made him extremely guilty and sad. She nodded, and suddenly felt even worse for triggering such an awful memory. Her sight flew to the floor once more, and then rose to his oceanic eyes.

Inaya wanted to break out in tears, but she try to hold it in as much as she could. Her body slowly relaxed, and her jaw did so as well, enabling her to speak. "It's... it's alright. I... I forgive you." When she said these words, suddenly a huge happiness began to emerge from her heart. After she spoke, she felt a burden slowly lift from her shoulders. Her posture straightened, her eyes watered from happiness, and her legs suddenly darted and ran towards him. She licked his ear, his neck, his cheek, and his shoulder, and pressed her body against him. Tears began to emerge from her eyes, and her tail wagged a mile a minute. Her emotions took over her actions in that moment, trying to swim in his scent and warmth all at once. "Please..." her voice broke and lowered, "Please... I never want to be away from you ever again. Please, my love. Never leave me alone... Without you, I... I am not complete."

Tears began to escape from her eyes once more, but this time, she cried without holding it in. She placed her head under Kismet's head and on his neck, and nuzzled him affectionately. She stood quiet there, her heart beating fast in happiness. She wanted him so badly, but she did not know how to express it to him that much. She just loved him so dearly that words could do no justice. She just expressed it in random outbursts of hugs, licks and nuzzles. She loved him, and because she loved him, she would always forgive him no matter what he did. She then removed her head from under his head and looked him directly to his eyes, with a smile on her lips and on her heart. 

OOC: awwwh <333

Tag: @kismet

Words: 487

Mood: blissful

Muse: fair!

[Deleted]

Regret once again twisted Kismet's stomach into knots as he watched Inaya. She stood only several feet away, but the distance felt like a massive void to him. A whimper escaped him again as he watched guilt and unease and pain fill her gray eyes. Had his apology done that? What had he said wrong? His entire body felt utterly cold without her warm body pressed against it, and he took another step towards her, longing to press his muzzle into her neck and to drink in her enticing scent. She barely nodded, and her gray eyes darted away to the ground again. Kismet's heart pounded out painfully and it felt an eternity before her eyes met his again. And then Kismet's entire body visibly relaxed almost completely at the sight of her body relaxing. And then she did the impossible. She forgave him. Relief and joy washed over the male in its entirety. His legs felt weak, and he wanted to crash to the ground. Instead, he just kept staring at her. The relief shone in his eyes, along with some disbelief.

And then, she...

Her posture straightened and stilled, her tail coming out front it's tight position between her legs. Her ears flew up and utter happiness flooded her gray eyes. Those eyes began to fill with tears, but Kismet knew them to be joyful tears. His old smile erupted onto his face so quickly that he didn't consciously register the change of his expression. His own ears perked, and his ivory tail slowly swayed back and forth. Hopeful joy changed his stormy blue eyes to their normal color, and he took another cautious step forward.

And then she...

His side suddenly became warm, and he froze. Her tongue rolled over his cheek, ear, neck and shoulder. And her fur was pressed tightly against his. Kismet moved with exaggerated slowness, moving his head to rest over her ruff, her tail wagged so quickly that it smacked his left foreleg over and over, but he welcomed the feeling. Any touch was better than to see her and not be able to touch her at all. His vision suddenly blurred as tears completely filled his eyes and spilled over. He closed his eyes and silently cried in joy, his tears soaking her creamy ruff. He was still, and the most wonderful smile was etched upon his maw. And then her voice came to his ears--at a much more agreeable distance--and he shivered in fulfilled anticipation.

Please... she begged him, I never want to be away from you ever again. Please, my love. Never leave me alone...Without you, I...I am not complete.

Kismet pushed his body into hers tighter, and drank in her scent. His tears never stopped; they only came faster and more plentiful. His voice was soft and gentle, and filled with pain and joy and promise all at once.

My dearest Angel--for that is what you are and what you always will be--I could never leave you. I made a promise to myself the night before the hunt to never let you out of my sight again. But now I...

His voice trailed off as it became husky. She pushed against him over and over, nuzzling him and licking him and smelling him. She couldn't seem to get enough of him. But it was alright with him. He waited until she pulled back her head, without moving her body from his, and looked into his eyes again to continue. As soon as she did, he swallowed hard to rid himself of his tears and gazed into her beautiful gray eyes.

I want to make this permanent, Inaya. I can't bare to see you in pain. I can't bare to know that I've hurt you, and made you hurt yourself. It cuts me deeply that you were afraid of me. I can't bare to ever part from you again. Not ever. If you're hungry, you will hunt with me. If we move, you will walk beside me. I will never leave your side again. Even if you commanded me to, I...I couldn't do it. Inaya, I love you. I love you deeply. Please...won't you spend eternity with me?

Kismet's blue eyes grew so intense that the blue was almost painful to look at. He longed to revel in her scent and to satisfy his deep craving for her body against his. But he couldn't do a single thing until she had agreed to be his mate. His heart throbbed painfully, and he tried to keep hopeful, optimistic thoughts present in his mind. After all, she had just asked him to never leave. Surely she loved him?

"Talking."

MUSE: monster && k-love | TAGGED: @inaya | NOTES: reply very soon ;u; omg I love your reply and mine<3 so sweet

[Deleted]

Text | Speech | Thought

Inaya felt that she was suddenly taken somewhere else with Kismet. She felt that she was floating in a cloud, or in resting in a beautiful paradise, filled with millions of butterflies and wonders. Just feeling him again, his warmth, his touch, and hearing his voice was more than enough for her to start crying. She felt loved, appreciated and complete with him on her side, and no matter what happened between them, and whether distance or difficulty stood between the two, she would never stop loving him. Kismet was perfect for her, and she was perfect for him. She then understood that this beautiful feeling was pure love. So foreign to her, but yet so precious that she could not get enough of it. As they merged into one pile of fur, crying and smiling, whispering things to each other in happiness and forgiveness, the unthinkable happened. He spoke, but asked of her something that she never expected, but at the same time she desired it with all of her heart.

He told her about how much he loved her, and about how she was his Angel. She smiled and more tears of joy fell from her grey eyes into her fur. Then, he asked the big question--if she wanted to be his mate or not. Her eyes grew large with happiness, and crystalline tears kept pouring like a waterfall. Her tail wagged, and she looked at him straight into his precious blue eyes; her smile never left her maw. "I... I love you so much, Kismet. Of course... Of course I would love to spend with you my whole life, and even eternity will not be enough to tell you how much I love you." Even if she was a female of few words, she prayed that these words would be enough for Kismet to understand her undying and passionate love for him. She locked her eyes on his, and then threw herself against her mate, brushing against him and licking him on the shoulder. Her tail wagged a mile a minute, certifying how happy she felt. 

It was bliss, actually. She felt in some sort of blissful ecstasy as she spoke to him. She finally thought for once in her life that she wasn't meant to suffer all the time after all. She had found someone beautiful, and someone that saw beauty even in the most dark places of her heart. Kismet had played the most important role in her road to redemption, and she would never forget that. She felt like she owed her life to him, and she felt that if she had to give her life for him she would. Inaya laid down beside her mate, and rolled to expose her belly to him in an act of tenderness and happiness. Her tail wagged, inviting him to lay down alongside her, and to sink in the beauty of the moment. From now on, she was never going to leave her side, and no matter what he did, big or small, she would never run. Inaya smiled and looked at him tenderly and sweetly, before uttering the words she thought she would never say.

"I love you,"

OOC: AWWW they kill me x.x <333 I loved my reply and I also loved yours so much it hurts ACK </3 xD So we can close it with your reply, and now I'll reply to the next thread <3
WORDS: 534
TAG: @kismet
MUSE: perfect <33




 

[Deleted]

Kismet stared as he spoke. His voice was hushed and husky as he asked her to be his. His blue eyes peered into her gray ones with such an intensity that it was impossible to look away. She smiled, and tears flooded her eyes. Kismet knew by now that they were joyful tears, and that joy reflected itself in her eyes. They were the most beautiful color. In Kismet's eyes, they shone like the moon itself, and his answering smile held none of his previous hesitation. She said it all without saying a word, and Kismet could barely hold himself back from unloading himself right then. Only his gentlemanly manner held him at bay until she spoke.

I... I love you so much, Kismet. Of course... Of course I would love to spend with you my whole life, and even eternity will not be enough to tell you how much I love you.

Her tail wagged, and her voice was like a symphony of choruses to his big, fluffy, ivory ears. Their eyes locked for one, long moment. And then his mate threw her body against him. She nuzzled him, licked him, and butted his shoulder affectionately. She fell to the ground, and rolled over onto her back in one, fluid, graceful movement. She beckoned to Kismet, but it was unnecessary. Kismet's body had fallen with hers. He lay on his side, but when she beckoned to him, he rolled over on top of her, licking her muzzle. He smiled playfully and then lay down beside her again. He pressed himself into her side and sighed with utter content. She whispered three heavenly words to him and he smiled.

I love you too, sweet Naya. Only promise me this one thing, hmm? Never run from me again. If I upset you, tell me. Yell at me. Strike me. But do not run from me again. Will you promise me that, Angel?

He knew what her answer would be, but somehow he only needed her say it aloud. To ensure it.

"Talking."

WORDS: 000 | TAGGED: @inaya | NOTES: closed!<3