Transcending My Wings
folder
Naruto › Yaoi - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
15
Views:
1,397
Reviews:
47
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
Naruto › Yaoi - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
15
Views:
1,397
Reviews:
47
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Ch 8: Wanting To Be Found
{Dan} I’m really sorry! School hit me like a ton of bricks so I had to do a lot of other things that didn’t involve any writing but no fears coz I’m back… hopefully!
{Naruto} Oi! You’re really late this time! Don’t be lazy now!
{Dan} Hai! Hai! I promise! I will try my best!
{Naruto} Good! Now on to the chapter! And be sure to get me out of Orochi's place already... Jeez! I don't want to be a bad guy!!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To Transcend My Wings
: : Chapter 8: : Wanting To Be Found
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It had been a couple of days since the trio had first arrived at the village and they are yet to be able to speak to this Itachi person they’re looking for, but as luck would have it, Itachi came bounding back to Konoha carried by his brother who looked none too miffed about the fact that Itachi seems to be getting more and more out of control. The news drifted to the trio that Itachi had come back, and the Hokage told them that it would be best for them to tell the news while Itachi is still mildly out of it since they couldn’t afford a raging Itachi on their tails if the guy found out about it later. So it was placed upon Sumaru to tell the predicament that the blond had gotten himself in. Upon arrival at the hospital room that the elder Uchiha resided, Sumaru felt somewhat safe seeing the Uchiha with his younger brother. As soon as he stepped a few feet closer though, he saw what must be the coldest glare ever directed at him.
“State your business, make sure it’s important.” Although Itachi didn’t say ‘or else’ Sumaru knew that it was there somewhere.
“It’s just that- Naruto told me to talk to you ab-” With lightning speed, Itachi was off the bed in his condition, the sharingan spinning wildly, and Sumaru was cut off as soon as he felt tightening fingers on his neck. Sasuke was immediately alarmed seeing his brother quickly get up and attack the newcomer for just mentioning the blonde bombshell’s name but dared not go against his brother right now.
“Spill.” That was all Itachi said before he loosened his grip enough for the other to be able to speak without any obstructions while still dangling a couple of inches off the floor with Itachi measuring his every facial gesture to see if the young man speaks the truth.
“He’s with Orochimaru. He exchanged himself to save us.” Sumaru struggled not to panic as he relayed how it all came about. Sasuke merely stayed back but alerted himself just in case his brother did something drastic and he would have to step in.
“Where is he now?” asked Itachi while seething. Even he, himself, knew that his infatuation with the blonde seemed to border insanity and obsession but as of right now, he couldn’t care less. The only things running through his head are the overwhelming thoughts of murdering a snake and punishing a blonde for making him feel this way, almost possessed.
“We don’t know where exactly but we figured he’d be within Orochimaru’s lair, wherever that may be.”
“Fuck, I need to get out of here.” Itachi had completely released the other letting him fall back to his feet and tried to stalk out of the room before his chakra exhaustion made its presence still known. He fell down to his knees but Sasuke was there to catch his brother once more.
“You need to rest, and then we’ll go and find him, okay Aniki,” Sasuke didn’t need any words to convey what the older Uchiha is thinking of as of the moment. Sasuke shuddered under the intense glare that his brother presented him but let it wash over him as he helped the older Uchiha back into bed for a much needed rest. Itachi had completely calmed down soon after while the two motioned for the other to join them in the hall to talk further, but stopped soon as a few words escaped the sleeping Uchiha.
“I need him,” Sumaru and Sasuke shared a look before heading out the door towards the hallway.
“Something’s a little off, my brother seems to be losing his head more and more each day that they’re apart.” Sumaru looked at the raven haired boy intently before giving a quick nod of understanding.
“Are they lovers? He seems to feel that much for Naruto-san.”
“No, not even… Naruto was here for only a little while and only spoke to aniki for a couple of hours but… I don’t even know how to explain…”
“Maybe Naruto can explain… If only he’s here…” Sumaru let out a heavy sigh until an idea had popped up in his head. Sumaru’s frown turned upside down and seemed to turn into a grin from ear to ear.
“What’s wrong?” asked Sasuke but all the while, he wanted to yell at the young man for putting on such a creepy face.
“I think I know of a way to find Naruto.”
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Underneath an island somewhere in the land of the waves, a young blonde man laid in the bed provided for him muttering something about his lazy guardians that haven’t broken him out of his ‘jail’ yet. The blonde, thinking of all the guardians he found felt his chest constrict at the thought of one raven haired Uchiha.
“I miss Itachi for some reason…” thought Naruto to himself before his door was opened letting in one of the snake sannin’s attendants to come in.
“Lord Orochimaru requests your presence at his chambers immediately.” Naruto wanted to scream for the man to simply leave him alone, but he knew he couldn’t (wouldn’t) do anything to retaliate since it would all be futile. He felt weak and defenseless. He couldn’t summon up any chakra at all, so what’s his hope to fend off the older man- none.
“Tell him I’ll be there,” was all Naruto had to say for the attendant to leave. Naruto got up from his bed towards Orochimaru’s chambers which was, coincidentally, just across the hall from his own room. Naruto felt fluttering butterflies in his stomach as he neared the door to Orochimaru’s room. Naruto got closer and closer with every step but all he could hear as he neared were the sounds of muffled moans and soft grunting.
“What the-” Naruto abruptly opened the door just in time to see Orochimaru climax and tense as his length buried deep inside the silver-haired man underneath him, also writhing in his own climax. Naruto felt somewhat like a fish out of water gaping between the two. Kabuto was the first to recover letting Orochimaru’s body roll off of him taking the softening length out along with him. Without merely batting an eye, Kabuto rolled off the bed, the sannin’s previous emissions running down from his hole, and walked past Naruto to leave the two for their private conversation which Kabuto had been previously filled on about.
“Naru-chan, it would seem that you came at just about the right time,” said the snake sannin as he sat up from his position only to let the tiniest amount of blanket to fall from his pale body revealing all for the blonde to see.
“Wha-” Naruto couldn’t even respond as he felt himself stiffen from head to toe the moment Orochimaru decided to get up from the bed and walk towards the blonde. The snake sannin circled Naruto before wrapping his arms around the smaller blonde’s waist, letting his exposed chest press on the clothed back of the stunned younger man.
“Naru-chan,” whispered Orochimaru hotly towards the blonde’s ears causing the blonde to shiver, not from excitement but from the mere simulation while also letting his hardening length poke the blonde’s back lightly before continuing, “I want you.”
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
It was only a matter of minutes before a team was assembled, but they were only composed of the guardians, all five of them. The team consisted of Itachi, Sasuke, Kakashi, Haku, and Sumaru. Haku and Sumaru, although not a Konoha-nin, were considered a part of the team since they are technically Naruto’s guardians and that is irrefutable even in the eyes of the elder council and the ROOT section of the ANBU division. Itachi reluctantly declined the position of team leader and let Kakashi take over since he could barely think straight with the blonde constantly on his head like a broken record playing over and over again.
Zabuza had also been left behind and detained for he still is considered an S-class missing nin and his reputation tends to get him in trouble, but the hokage had issued that the missing-nin of the hidden mist village would be put under house arrest for a couple of months or so just to see if he could behave then he could choose to either be a ninja for the leaf village or be a civilian with or without ties to the village. In the beginning, Zabuza had thrown a fit about not being around his partner, but Haku had reassured him, though reluctantly, that he would be safe in the hands of some of the most gifted ninjas in the land of fire.
The group set out once more and as soon as they reached a clearing unseen beyond the gates of the village, they set up camp. Sasuke and Sumaru came up with the plan for a bond reversal. Sumaru had once been told by Naruto during their travels that he could always feel the connection he makes to each of his guardians like a string pulling on him. Sumaru hadn’t commented on that due to the fact that he couldn’t feel the connection that the blonde was talking about, but during the talk that Sasuke and Sumaru had in the hospital they both felt like they could use this information to find the blonde.
“So how is this supposed to work?” asked Haku towards Sumaru only sparing a glance towards Sasuke before fully integrating his attention to the longer-haired nin.
“Well, we’re not sure how to exactly call to him, but we did an experiment back in the hospital and both Sasuke and I felt him,” gave Sumaru as a reply to the feminine boy.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=FLASHBACK=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
“Do you think this will work?” asked Sasuke as he sat down with his legs folded across the other nin just a couple of inches away.
“I’m not sure but if he’s right then I would be able to sense him… Okay now hold out your hand.” Sasuke thrust both of his hands slowly and let them rest on the open hand of the star-nin.
“Okay, now try and concentrate your chakra on your symbol and try to see if you’d be able to feel a tug or something of a physical manifestation of the blonde, something you know would be him while I do the same,” said Sumaru. Sasuke didn’t need further instructions as he activated his bloodline that Naruto had given him access to and let a stream of concentrated chakra flow to the now slightly glowing symbol on his hand. Sumaru was also doing the same thing until they felt a spark that seemed as hot as a raging inferno but it doesn’t seem to be any more than an alluring light leading them into the very core of its existence.
“Is that it?” asked Sasuke.
“I’m not sure, but I think there’s something a little more to it. Try upping the stream a little.”
“Alright.” Once more the two concentrated their chakras and all of a sudden they could see the blonde, not completely but almost like a silhouette that he embodies, its frame seemed fragile, like its shape could disperse at any moment without leaving any trace. The two concentrated hard enough that they could somehow sense in an unmentionable way as to which direction the presence is coming from but the bond isn’t strong enough so they figured that maybe if they had the other guardians’ help then they would succeed.
“We’ve almost got it. We need to tell aniki.”
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=END FLASHBACK=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
“Okay, let’s give it a try,” mentioned Haku, as he noticed the anticipation that Itachi exuded. The group sat in a circle one hand connected to the people next to them. Suddenly, their symbols began to glow enveloping the group in a blanket of what seemed like a rainbow colored light, each of them letting their chakra flow like an open stream onto the only thing they have of the blonde, their symbols and their memories of him. Soon enough, they have gone from the flames into the core where the shadow emerged guiding their consciousness towards the blonde. Then all of a sudden, they were seeing the world from the blonde’s eyes.
“Please stop this,” whispered the blonde, his conviction barely there.
“No, I don’t think I will… after all, you did give yourself up to me so it’s only fair that I see what I’m investing on.” Orochimaru let his hands glide up and down the waist feeling the blonde’s exposed skin. Orochimaru nipped a bit towards the junction of the blonde’s neck. The snake sannin did not try to leave any marks on the blonde’s skin. He couldn’t comprehend as to why he didn’t want to mar the tanned skin, but deep down he knew that he loved the feel of the blonde against him.
“Please, please stop,” begged Naruto as his tears started to flow down the deep blue eyes, but Orochimaru would do no such thing and quickly threw the blonde on the bed, facedown. Orochimaru climbed on top of the blonde once more and let his straining erection graze the mounds of the blonde’s well-formed ass.
“I want to be inside you Naru-chan,” even with the snake’s sincere voice, Naruto uncontrollably shook in fear then without warning, the blonde screamed at the top of his lungs before losing consciousness and the guardians were thrust out of the blonde’s head with only Itachi catching the last words Naruto let loose, “Save me……. Itachi.”
Almost as if waking up from a bad dream, the group of five quickly gathered their stuff and headed out towards the direction in which they had sensed the blonde. Everyone, especially Itachi, became worried after they saw the vision they had received. If that is what’s currently going on, then they would really need to hurry their pace and rescue the blonde from the snake’s clutches in hopes of mending what the snake could have broken.
Itachi hastened his pace with chakra to make it to the hideout faster. He could feel his anger almost welling up and surging out of him if it hadn’t been for the blonde’s plea for ‘his’ help. The blonde had called out his name in the vision therefore would have to mean that he was the one on the blonde’s head. Although, he couldn’t quite find complete solace in that fact due to the presence of the snake man being so close to his sunshine. Hopefully, they wouldn’t be too late to salvage what may be left of the blonde before Orochimaru could break him.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!
^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^
{Dan} I’m really sorry again!!! I promise to try and update in a timelier manner! So if you could please do me a favor and leave me a couple of reviews I’d highly appreciate it… even flames are welcome at this point… but ego stroking would definitely be better… much obliged!!!
{Naruto} Oi! You’re really late this time! Don’t be lazy now!
{Dan} Hai! Hai! I promise! I will try my best!
{Naruto} Good! Now on to the chapter! And be sure to get me out of Orochi's place already... Jeez! I don't want to be a bad guy!!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To Transcend My Wings
: : Chapter 8: : Wanting To Be Found
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It had been a couple of days since the trio had first arrived at the village and they are yet to be able to speak to this Itachi person they’re looking for, but as luck would have it, Itachi came bounding back to Konoha carried by his brother who looked none too miffed about the fact that Itachi seems to be getting more and more out of control. The news drifted to the trio that Itachi had come back, and the Hokage told them that it would be best for them to tell the news while Itachi is still mildly out of it since they couldn’t afford a raging Itachi on their tails if the guy found out about it later. So it was placed upon Sumaru to tell the predicament that the blond had gotten himself in. Upon arrival at the hospital room that the elder Uchiha resided, Sumaru felt somewhat safe seeing the Uchiha with his younger brother. As soon as he stepped a few feet closer though, he saw what must be the coldest glare ever directed at him.
“State your business, make sure it’s important.” Although Itachi didn’t say ‘or else’ Sumaru knew that it was there somewhere.
“It’s just that- Naruto told me to talk to you ab-” With lightning speed, Itachi was off the bed in his condition, the sharingan spinning wildly, and Sumaru was cut off as soon as he felt tightening fingers on his neck. Sasuke was immediately alarmed seeing his brother quickly get up and attack the newcomer for just mentioning the blonde bombshell’s name but dared not go against his brother right now.
“Spill.” That was all Itachi said before he loosened his grip enough for the other to be able to speak without any obstructions while still dangling a couple of inches off the floor with Itachi measuring his every facial gesture to see if the young man speaks the truth.
“He’s with Orochimaru. He exchanged himself to save us.” Sumaru struggled not to panic as he relayed how it all came about. Sasuke merely stayed back but alerted himself just in case his brother did something drastic and he would have to step in.
“Where is he now?” asked Itachi while seething. Even he, himself, knew that his infatuation with the blonde seemed to border insanity and obsession but as of right now, he couldn’t care less. The only things running through his head are the overwhelming thoughts of murdering a snake and punishing a blonde for making him feel this way, almost possessed.
“We don’t know where exactly but we figured he’d be within Orochimaru’s lair, wherever that may be.”
“Fuck, I need to get out of here.” Itachi had completely released the other letting him fall back to his feet and tried to stalk out of the room before his chakra exhaustion made its presence still known. He fell down to his knees but Sasuke was there to catch his brother once more.
“You need to rest, and then we’ll go and find him, okay Aniki,” Sasuke didn’t need any words to convey what the older Uchiha is thinking of as of the moment. Sasuke shuddered under the intense glare that his brother presented him but let it wash over him as he helped the older Uchiha back into bed for a much needed rest. Itachi had completely calmed down soon after while the two motioned for the other to join them in the hall to talk further, but stopped soon as a few words escaped the sleeping Uchiha.
“I need him,” Sumaru and Sasuke shared a look before heading out the door towards the hallway.
“Something’s a little off, my brother seems to be losing his head more and more each day that they’re apart.” Sumaru looked at the raven haired boy intently before giving a quick nod of understanding.
“Are they lovers? He seems to feel that much for Naruto-san.”
“No, not even… Naruto was here for only a little while and only spoke to aniki for a couple of hours but… I don’t even know how to explain…”
“Maybe Naruto can explain… If only he’s here…” Sumaru let out a heavy sigh until an idea had popped up in his head. Sumaru’s frown turned upside down and seemed to turn into a grin from ear to ear.
“What’s wrong?” asked Sasuke but all the while, he wanted to yell at the young man for putting on such a creepy face.
“I think I know of a way to find Naruto.”
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Underneath an island somewhere in the land of the waves, a young blonde man laid in the bed provided for him muttering something about his lazy guardians that haven’t broken him out of his ‘jail’ yet. The blonde, thinking of all the guardians he found felt his chest constrict at the thought of one raven haired Uchiha.
“I miss Itachi for some reason…” thought Naruto to himself before his door was opened letting in one of the snake sannin’s attendants to come in.
“Lord Orochimaru requests your presence at his chambers immediately.” Naruto wanted to scream for the man to simply leave him alone, but he knew he couldn’t (wouldn’t) do anything to retaliate since it would all be futile. He felt weak and defenseless. He couldn’t summon up any chakra at all, so what’s his hope to fend off the older man- none.
“Tell him I’ll be there,” was all Naruto had to say for the attendant to leave. Naruto got up from his bed towards Orochimaru’s chambers which was, coincidentally, just across the hall from his own room. Naruto felt fluttering butterflies in his stomach as he neared the door to Orochimaru’s room. Naruto got closer and closer with every step but all he could hear as he neared were the sounds of muffled moans and soft grunting.
“What the-” Naruto abruptly opened the door just in time to see Orochimaru climax and tense as his length buried deep inside the silver-haired man underneath him, also writhing in his own climax. Naruto felt somewhat like a fish out of water gaping between the two. Kabuto was the first to recover letting Orochimaru’s body roll off of him taking the softening length out along with him. Without merely batting an eye, Kabuto rolled off the bed, the sannin’s previous emissions running down from his hole, and walked past Naruto to leave the two for their private conversation which Kabuto had been previously filled on about.
“Naru-chan, it would seem that you came at just about the right time,” said the snake sannin as he sat up from his position only to let the tiniest amount of blanket to fall from his pale body revealing all for the blonde to see.
“Wha-” Naruto couldn’t even respond as he felt himself stiffen from head to toe the moment Orochimaru decided to get up from the bed and walk towards the blonde. The snake sannin circled Naruto before wrapping his arms around the smaller blonde’s waist, letting his exposed chest press on the clothed back of the stunned younger man.
“Naru-chan,” whispered Orochimaru hotly towards the blonde’s ears causing the blonde to shiver, not from excitement but from the mere simulation while also letting his hardening length poke the blonde’s back lightly before continuing, “I want you.”
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
It was only a matter of minutes before a team was assembled, but they were only composed of the guardians, all five of them. The team consisted of Itachi, Sasuke, Kakashi, Haku, and Sumaru. Haku and Sumaru, although not a Konoha-nin, were considered a part of the team since they are technically Naruto’s guardians and that is irrefutable even in the eyes of the elder council and the ROOT section of the ANBU division. Itachi reluctantly declined the position of team leader and let Kakashi take over since he could barely think straight with the blonde constantly on his head like a broken record playing over and over again.
Zabuza had also been left behind and detained for he still is considered an S-class missing nin and his reputation tends to get him in trouble, but the hokage had issued that the missing-nin of the hidden mist village would be put under house arrest for a couple of months or so just to see if he could behave then he could choose to either be a ninja for the leaf village or be a civilian with or without ties to the village. In the beginning, Zabuza had thrown a fit about not being around his partner, but Haku had reassured him, though reluctantly, that he would be safe in the hands of some of the most gifted ninjas in the land of fire.
The group set out once more and as soon as they reached a clearing unseen beyond the gates of the village, they set up camp. Sasuke and Sumaru came up with the plan for a bond reversal. Sumaru had once been told by Naruto during their travels that he could always feel the connection he makes to each of his guardians like a string pulling on him. Sumaru hadn’t commented on that due to the fact that he couldn’t feel the connection that the blonde was talking about, but during the talk that Sasuke and Sumaru had in the hospital they both felt like they could use this information to find the blonde.
“So how is this supposed to work?” asked Haku towards Sumaru only sparing a glance towards Sasuke before fully integrating his attention to the longer-haired nin.
“Well, we’re not sure how to exactly call to him, but we did an experiment back in the hospital and both Sasuke and I felt him,” gave Sumaru as a reply to the feminine boy.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=FLASHBACK=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
“Do you think this will work?” asked Sasuke as he sat down with his legs folded across the other nin just a couple of inches away.
“I’m not sure but if he’s right then I would be able to sense him… Okay now hold out your hand.” Sasuke thrust both of his hands slowly and let them rest on the open hand of the star-nin.
“Okay, now try and concentrate your chakra on your symbol and try to see if you’d be able to feel a tug or something of a physical manifestation of the blonde, something you know would be him while I do the same,” said Sumaru. Sasuke didn’t need further instructions as he activated his bloodline that Naruto had given him access to and let a stream of concentrated chakra flow to the now slightly glowing symbol on his hand. Sumaru was also doing the same thing until they felt a spark that seemed as hot as a raging inferno but it doesn’t seem to be any more than an alluring light leading them into the very core of its existence.
“Is that it?” asked Sasuke.
“I’m not sure, but I think there’s something a little more to it. Try upping the stream a little.”
“Alright.” Once more the two concentrated their chakras and all of a sudden they could see the blonde, not completely but almost like a silhouette that he embodies, its frame seemed fragile, like its shape could disperse at any moment without leaving any trace. The two concentrated hard enough that they could somehow sense in an unmentionable way as to which direction the presence is coming from but the bond isn’t strong enough so they figured that maybe if they had the other guardians’ help then they would succeed.
“We’ve almost got it. We need to tell aniki.”
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=END FLASHBACK=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
“Okay, let’s give it a try,” mentioned Haku, as he noticed the anticipation that Itachi exuded. The group sat in a circle one hand connected to the people next to them. Suddenly, their symbols began to glow enveloping the group in a blanket of what seemed like a rainbow colored light, each of them letting their chakra flow like an open stream onto the only thing they have of the blonde, their symbols and their memories of him. Soon enough, they have gone from the flames into the core where the shadow emerged guiding their consciousness towards the blonde. Then all of a sudden, they were seeing the world from the blonde’s eyes.
“Please stop this,” whispered the blonde, his conviction barely there.
“No, I don’t think I will… after all, you did give yourself up to me so it’s only fair that I see what I’m investing on.” Orochimaru let his hands glide up and down the waist feeling the blonde’s exposed skin. Orochimaru nipped a bit towards the junction of the blonde’s neck. The snake sannin did not try to leave any marks on the blonde’s skin. He couldn’t comprehend as to why he didn’t want to mar the tanned skin, but deep down he knew that he loved the feel of the blonde against him.
“Please, please stop,” begged Naruto as his tears started to flow down the deep blue eyes, but Orochimaru would do no such thing and quickly threw the blonde on the bed, facedown. Orochimaru climbed on top of the blonde once more and let his straining erection graze the mounds of the blonde’s well-formed ass.
“I want to be inside you Naru-chan,” even with the snake’s sincere voice, Naruto uncontrollably shook in fear then without warning, the blonde screamed at the top of his lungs before losing consciousness and the guardians were thrust out of the blonde’s head with only Itachi catching the last words Naruto let loose, “Save me……. Itachi.”
Almost as if waking up from a bad dream, the group of five quickly gathered their stuff and headed out towards the direction in which they had sensed the blonde. Everyone, especially Itachi, became worried after they saw the vision they had received. If that is what’s currently going on, then they would really need to hurry their pace and rescue the blonde from the snake’s clutches in hopes of mending what the snake could have broken.
Itachi hastened his pace with chakra to make it to the hideout faster. He could feel his anger almost welling up and surging out of him if it hadn’t been for the blonde’s plea for ‘his’ help. The blonde had called out his name in the vision therefore would have to mean that he was the one on the blonde’s head. Although, he couldn’t quite find complete solace in that fact due to the presence of the snake man being so close to his sunshine. Hopefully, they wouldn’t be too late to salvage what may be left of the blonde before Orochimaru could break him.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!
^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^
{Dan} I’m really sorry again!!! I promise to try and update in a timelier manner! So if you could please do me a favor and leave me a couple of reviews I’d highly appreciate it… even flames are welcome at this point… but ego stroking would definitely be better… much obliged!!!