Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2009 21:22:59 +1300
From: Stacey C <theevilmagpie@hotmail.com>
Subject: Opposites Attract chapter 9- new chapter

My apologies to all my faithful readers and I thank you for your patience
for waiting this long for the next part of this story. I'm glad you all
love this story as much a I do. This chapter is for all of you, a new one
follows soon! Enjoy!

Chapter Nine

RAUL

"I'll come and see you tomorrow." Koen had said when the red wolf had
dropped him off at his own small apartment when they hard parted company
two days before.

Raul was more pissed off and more hurt then he'd ever been before as he
paced restlessly back and forth across his living room.  It still shouldn't
come as a surprise to him or piss him off as much as this did but it seemed
Koen had done a runner on him or at the very least was avoiding him. As he
hadn't heard from Koen in the two says since he'd allowed his red wolf to
leave his side.  He thought now that he'd got them both through the all
important first moon and achieved his goal of getting into Koen's pants or
perhaps that was his pants he'd let Koen into? Raul added in a touch of
bittersweet ironic amusement.  Once bonded to each other Raul thought it
would now be safe to leave Koen and continue on with the fun stuff. But oh
no, he should have known better, this was Koen after all. Nothing that
involved the stubborn, wilful and extremely slippery red wolf should ever
be considered easy.

 So he'd been stupid and he'd gone through the motions, gone to work,
caught up with his few scattered friends and flirted a bit with his
customer's as he waited for Koen to come and get him. But he knew as the
hours tracked on and his need to be with his mate grew without his mate
being there, the longer it dawned on him, that Koen was both feeling the
same draw to come to him and was resisting it with all his considerable
strength.  Although Raul knew it was Koen's fault that he was now in this
situation, he knew it was more his fault. He knew he never should have left
him on his own after what had happened, for a `wolf Koen thought far too
much and was very good at talking himself out of anything he didn't want to
face. No doubt he'd got back home and done both to the full extent of
significant skill, which left Raul to be the one, yet again to go to
Koen. They were mate's now and even though Raul was a novice at dealing
with a mate and a mate bond, he knew while the unmated mate was a damned
horny creature, nothing was hornier then a just mated and bonded `wolf.
Worse than that was an extremely horny bonded wolf who hadn't been touched
by or been near his mate in two days.

So that was why Raul was pacing restlessly back and forth across the
brightly coloured Native American rug on his small apartment floor as he
switched from cursing his bastard of a mate and his rock hard erection and
trembling body. His soul and his very flesh craved Koen like nothing he'd
ever felt before and if that wasn't bad enough he could feel a dim echo of
the same demanding need and desire for him coming from Koen.  It stood to
reason that if Raul could feel it all, then so could Koen and that was
adding to his feverish desire and anger that his mate was denying them both
relief.

Those two days during the full moon might have been a dream and not
reality.  But he knew as sure as the strange shimmery cord between them
that it had happened. That they had run through the night as wolves. If he
had been a normal man and not a 'wolf he'd have still possessed more
physical reminders of what they had done together. Both of them had been
covered in 'wolf bites, scratches, bruises and despite his own healing
gifts his arse was still a bit tender the day they'd returned from the
relentless pounding Koen had given him over and over again.  At the memory
of it all Raul couldn't help it, he felt himself hardening even more then
he already was and heard his own helpless whimper as his body quivered with
his need for the red wolf.

But Raul found despite his anger to his frustration and shame he knew he
would both jump on Koen and allow him back into his body the minute he saw
him as he couldn't take it anymore. The only bitter solace he managed to
take from the whole mess was that he didn't think Koen had gone from
fucking him to fucking his bitch of a girlfriend to release his sexual
frustration and need, he'd have felt it if his mate was betraying him that
way.

Despite himself Raul couldn't help prodding a mental finger at the
connection between them again, rather like a small boy who couldn't help
poking at a sore bruise over and over again.  At his prodding he found that
it had dimmed a little with the distance between them but Raul could still
feel Koen on the other side of the connection and just to feel his energy
made Raul feel a weird sense of homesickness along with another increase in
the waves of sexual need pouring through him. Feeling Koen';s matching
emotions was a bittersweet irony again, but he just couldn't seem to stop
torturing himself.

Why the fuck did we have to pick this one 'oh smart wolf of mine? Raul
snarled at his inner wolf. I hope the son of bitch is just as fucked up as
I am.

For once Raul received no smart ass remark or any response at all as his
wolf' was curled inside him contently sleeping off their activities during
the full moon. All he got was an amused flick of his wolf's ears for his
trouble and a sleepy possessive thought that conveyed that no other would
have been for them.

Well that's a fat lot of good that thinking is doing for us my boy, as it
appears we regard him as ours but he certainly doesn't think the same. Raul
retorted bitterly.

This time a sleepy golden eye cracked open as his wolf regarded him with
exasperation, letting him know the business of mates was not meant to be
easy, but those that fight harder would still be brought to heel as none
could fight the bond for long.  The ears flicked forward and then back
again, listening intently. A wicked canine grin spread across his muzzle as
the black wolf inside Raul sat up all but quivering.

"It's not funny at all; I don't see what the fuck you have to laugh about."
Raul growled stalking back across the room in yet another trek around it.

In hindsight Raul realised he should have known his `wolf better than that
and should have taken the wicked grin more seriously. Raul's `wolf was a
devious, cunning and endlessly smug creatures and loved to rub Raul's nose
in it whenever he could, and in this case Raul realised he would be hearing
it for years to come. Because with barely any warning but a flare of the
bond between them and the sense of a familiar scent, the door flew open
behind a powerful, solid kick that splintered the door and sent the pieces
flying in all directions.  Materialising where the door used to be was a
familiar tall trembling black leather glad figure with a pair of wild pale
green eyes, flushed pale skin and dishevelled dark red hair as he stalked
in

"Did you have to wreck my door? What happened to knocking?" Raul couldn't
help drawling.

"This is your fault!" Koen snarled.

Raul drew himself up and raised his chin proudly. "You bastard how dare you
say it's my fault! It's you who kept away from me remember, not the other
way around. I'd say it's your fault. If you hadn't been your stubborn self
neither of us with be in this state." He snarled right back.

Even as he snarled Raul still trembled and his cock throbbed for his mate,
hell, even his asshole clenched excitedly in anticipation.  His hands
balled up in an effort to keep what little of his dignity and to stop him
from pouncing on Koen and ripping off his clothes.  Koen's power and his
scent wrapped around Raul and tortured him as he found himself backing into
the far living room wall in an effort to stay as far away from Koen.

Even as fucked up as he was some part of Raul could still feel some
amusement and vindictive, ironic victory in the equally tortured expression
on Koen's face and in the fact that for once Koen had come to him. By force
and half unwillingly it was true but he was still here first and from that
Raul took a certain sense of bittersweet victory.

Raul didn't even think Koen was aware that he was instinctively stalking
Raul across the room, even as he was resisting being drawn anywhere near
Raul.  Koen's tall, lean body was trembling as badly as his was and he
could see the rigid outline of his fully hard cock through his leather
pants.  His pale green eyes were glazed and wild, his lips looked swollen
and red from his biting them and his pale skin was flushed. His long hair
was ruffled and glossy as it fell around him. Koen's natural scent mixed in
with sex, anger and desire was a heady tonic for Raul and he found despite
his best efforts that he was slowly sagging against the wall.  Out of his
own feverish eyes he saw Koen's whole body stiffen and his nose flare, as
he inhaled Raul's own smells.

Raul saw Koen's resistance fade as the red wolf stalked the last few steps
up to his side and grabbed for him just as his legs buckled under him. Koen
caught him and slammed him back against the wall with his considerable
weight and strength behind it.  Somehow Raul managed to raise his chin and
challenge him as their eyes locked. For a moment the tension stretched taut
between them as their bond strengthened and hummed between them and then
Koen closed his eyes tightly, his body tensing as he tried to resist once
more but Raul wasn't about to put up with that again.

"You are mine! You will not run!" Raul hissed into Koen's ear as he
abruptly bit his ear and sucked, hard.  He wrapped his arms around Koen's
shoulders and gripped with all his own considerable possessive strength.

"Mine!" He growled, louder this time with another hard bite and hard sucks
on the same ear as he felt Koen shudder in his grip.

Nuzzling his way along Koen's throat he stopped to nip at the skin in
punishing little bites as he felt Koen tremble, panting against him and he
continued to murmur his possessive demand against Koen's skin as he made
his way to the red wolf's mouth. One final punishing nip on the red,
already swollen lower lip and Raul gripped the back of Koen's head, his
fingers tangling in his long red hair to hold his head in place as he
kissed him hard, nearly forcing his tongue into Koen's hot mouth. Raul's
felt more then heard the low growl Koen freed into their hungry mouths.

The thrust of his tongue into Koen's mouth seemed to be the trigger that
tore his ragged reins loose.  One minute Raul was in control as he
plundered the wet, heat of Koen's mouth, feeding on the taste and then Raul
found himself slammed back into the wall at his back and his mate's strong
hands run greedily down his chest.  He heard rending fabric as Koen tore
off the black t-shirt he was wearing to get at his naked warmth.

Raul moaned encouragingly as Koen kissed him back aggressively and found
himself rubbing eagerly against his mate, pushing his jean clad arse back
against the seeking hands that kneaded and grabbed hungrily at him.
Abruptly Koen picked him up with his easy strength and instinctively Raul
wrapped his legs around Koen's waist and buried his face in Koen's neck,
breathing heavily as he struggled to catch his breath and glory in the feel
of Koen's body and his energy in his arms. His starved body didn't believe
it had only been two days since they'd been apart. He felt Koen's chest
against him heaving just as raggedly and he heard Koen's heavy panting in
his ear.  He could feel the heavy, long length of Koen's cock pressing
hungrily against his arse and Raul couldn't help squirming against it.

"Stop that!" Koen growled and sounded so aggrieved and so frustrated that
Raul couldn't help the choking laugh that escaped him or the deliberately
slow, more calculated grind.

With his arms full of him Raul felt Koen kick his bedroom door open and
slam it shut. He all but threw him down on the bed with enough force that
he bounced, Koen's own body coming down on his and all but crushing him
underneath him. Raul didn't mind, he in fact loved the feel of Koen's
weight, his smell and his power all in easy reach as he wrapped himself
with eager excitement around his mate.  This time it was he who tried to
pull off the leather jacket and black t-shirt underneath it.

"Get them off!" Koen demanded tugging at the fastenings to Raul's jeans
with impatient fingers and becoming frustrated that he couldn't get them
open to get at Raul.

"Get these off!" Raul heard himself echo as he struggled to get the light
leather jacket off Koen's shoulders, but without Koen's participation it
wasn't possible, leather wasn't as easy as cotton to rip.

Despite their mutual frustration and impatience they both chuckled as Raul
felt Koen ease back and cooperate to allow Raul to remove the leather
jacket and dark t-shirt Koen was wearing. Raul too reached down to help
open his pants and push them down his legs. However he didn't manage to
even get them all the way down his long legs, before he felt Koen's warm
fingers trace teasing fingers up his thighs and then along his stomach,
flanks and hips. Touching him everywhere but where he most desperately
wanted Koen's fingers, wrapped around his cock.

Raul arched his hips, unable to stop the slight movement of his hips as he
felt Koen's fingers trace teasingly along his toned abs just a little too
high to reach his aching cock.

"Koen!" Raul was shamed to hear the whine and the feverish plea in his
voice as he arched his hips again, trying to direct his cock at that moving
hand.

Raul heard Koen's wicked laugh and saw the wickedness gleam in his green
eyes as the fingers stopped their tormenting game and cloated with his
slick juices, finally wrapped around his cock. At the touch of Koen's
fingers, Raul nearly reared right off the bed and heard his own whimper, as
he thrust his hips forward, grinding himself into Koen's hand.

He felt Koen's hot mouth suck at just the right spot behind his ear and he
arched again, moaning.  Raul realised his own hands were feverishly moving
over Koen's warm pale skin and his own interested fingers had come to wrap
around Koen's cock. Feeling Koen stiffen and moan at his touch hardened
Raul's cock even further, making his arse clench again in anticipation.

"Fuck me!" Raul begged as he opened his legs grinding his cock into Koen's
hand again. "Come on, fuck me, please, please . ."

Raul felt Koen was already moving, responding to Raul's need and his own as
he reached over to Raul's bed side table for the lube he always kept there
and then he felt cool, wet fingers at his hole. With a growl Raul rolled
them over and shifted himself to allow Koen's fingers access as he arched
his back, feeling first, then a second long finger start to ease their way
inside me.

"Hurry! I want you!" Raul panted as he rocked back into the exploring
fingers and leaned forward so he could brace his arms and taking his own
advice, not willing to wait any longer he shifted himself again and impaled
himself on Koen.

They both hissed as Raul felt the hard, hot flesh of Koen's cock forcing
him open but despite the pleasure pain he continued until he had all of it
in him. Koen allowed Raul a minute to get used to him inside him again and
then Koen thrust up impatiently. Following his lead Raul rose up and slid
back down, picking up speed as he fucked himself on his mate's cock.
Nothing felt better to him then riding Koen's cock and the feel of the bond
between them humming, their power and their combined scents driving him
crazy.

It was the same for Koen he realised as he stared down into the green eyes
below him, they were glazed and feverish, Koen's heavy breathing was
riddled with moans as the hands on Raul's thighs gripped hard enough to be
leaving bruises.

The next thing Raul heard an audible snap as the last of Koen's control
vanished and all he knew was that there was a blur as Koen flipped them
over and he felt Koen slide between his legs and began fucking him harder,
faster.  Raul wrapped his legs around Koen and gloated to himself that he
had his mate right where he should be.

Koen leaned down for a kiss and Raul returned it hungrily, pouring
everything he was and everything he wanted into it as he responded to
Koen. Raul heard himself moan as his love button was being driven crazy by
Koen's cock and he heard himself moan again in excitement as he saw Koen's
eyes glow red with bloodlust before his teeth were lengthening and burying
themselves in his throat. Raul felt his own blood being sucked hungrily out
of him and the heady pleasure of Koen's bite serum running through him, he
heard Koen scream and stiffen, his hot seed flooding his insides.

The smell of Koen's sexual ecstasy, his blood lust pleasure and the scent
of sex around them and Koen's bite set off Raul as he felt his own fangs
lengthening. He buried his teeth in Koen's shoulder and sucked voraciously
as he felt Koen's blood fill him up.  Stroking his own cock, with his teeth
buried in Koen it didn't take him long to jerk, stiffen and scream as he
came, following Koen over the side.

Breathing raggedly they both struggled to catch their breath as they
slumped together, Raul's arms and legs still wrapped tightly around Koen's
sprawled body, his cock still buried in him.

"Mine." Raul panted out as soon as he was capable of speech and he
tightened his grip on Koen.

Koen to sated and too tired to fight him didn't say anything to deny it and
he stayed in a boneless sprawl allowing Raul the rare luxury to run his
hands through Koen's hair and idly up and down the hot, sweaty skin. Just
to touch him, feel his presence, smell him, hear him and luxuriate in his
bite and his power was bittersweet and Raul felt the sting of something
that might be tears coming to his golden eyes.

"What's the matter mate?" Koen asked in concern as he shifted off Raul a
little and regarded him with sleepy pale green eyes from his side, one of
his hands stroking Raul's chest comfortingly.

 Raul was a little amused and slightly surprised to note that Koen had deep
`wolf scratches on his back and hips from where he'd clawed him in his
passion. On the heels of his thoughts he felt what must be the matching
sting of deep scratches in his sides and hips.  The bite mark in his neck
without the heady pain numbing help of wolf serum stung like a bastard too.

"Nothing." Raul replied a little too quickly.

Koen regarded him a minute or two an unreadable expression in his eyes
allowing the silence to stretch between them.

"I can feel that you are not happy about something. I cannot fix it for you
if you if you don't tell me what it is, mate." Koen coaxed.

Raul stared at Koen unable to believe what he saw in his face. "You will
think I am a just a stupid bastard."

Koen shook his head, brushing a strand of dark red hair off his face. "I
would not ever think you stupid." He responded. "Well at least not often."
He added with a touch of playful humour.

"It is just I am tired of going through this same trial every time. We get
close, you retreat, we get close and you retreat again. I can't go back to
the cold world now, I just can't and I am thinking that you will do it to
me again once you start to think again." Raul finally admitted, now was the
time to go after what he wanted, he was tired of waiting.

Koen's expression was regretful as he tugged on some of Raul's black
hair. "I owe you many apologies mate for my behaviour and my rejection of
you when I would not accept you. I would ask that you forgive me my
mistakes as I have no will or desire to leave you anymore. I simply cannot
fight you anymore." He said so quietly and so strangely formal that Raul
had to strain even his wolf ears to hear it and the regretful, apologetic
and affectionate expression on his face, in his familiar pale green eyes
warmed him as nothing else ever could.

"But what happens when you go back home and you face that girlfriend of
yours, your band and your family when you meet up with them again. Who's to
say this isn't just some pretty talk of yours to get into my pants and then
ditch me at the first opportunity." Raul retorted all his jealously,
bitterness and hurt showing in his tone.

Koen's expression grew darker and sadder. "There is no way I can prove that
I am telling you the truth other then to prove it. I only ask your
forgiveness once again and I will not leave you now. I was only away from
you from those two days because I needed some time to get my head around us
and how that impacted my life. I was coming back to you, as you can see. I
have left a message with Reynard to take back to my family. It is time that
I go home. You at least have taught me that I must learn to face things and
not be in denial." Koen explained his expression full of sorrow and when he
saw Raul's hard, angry expression stay the same he sighed, beginning to
ease away from him.

"Where do you think your going?" Raul demanded tugging Koen back to him and
wrapping Koen back into his arms. Raul was so outraged that after saying
all that Koen would dare to leave his bed, this was Koen's way of admitting
their bond and that he wanted him too.

Koen looked bewildered. "Away, it seemed that it was my turn to face the
sting of rejection."

"Who said I was rejecting you? You've got to be fucking joking if you think
I'm letting you get away from me now. Your mine and I am yours." Raul bit
out, his expression as outraged as he felt at the thought that would leave
him and even more outraged that Koen would ever think he'd not want
him. "You will be making all my blood, sweat and tears up to me however."

Koen chuckled at this and relaxed a little as he returned back to running
his hands lazily over Raul's skin, seeming fascinated by the contrast of
his pale fingers to Koen's warm, tawny skin. The lazy touching started
taking on more of a sly caressing edge to it and Raul felt himself lazily
stirring to it.

 It didn't take long before Raul was shifting restlessly on the bed from
Koen's touch.  With another of Koen's characteristic abrupt whims he rolled
over onto of Raul and thrust teasingly against him. Raul was already still
a bit sore from the pounding his arse had taken before but he didn't care
as he thrust back against him. Raul's mouth was already running hungrily
over Koen's shoulder and chest so he could suck on one of his nipples. What
was a bit of tender soreness when he could have Koen? As if sensing this
Koen backed off a little with a regretful growl as he shifted to slide off
Raul.

"Hey where are you going?" Raul demanded to know as he gripped hard and
pulled Koen back on top of him but he growled in frustration as Koen merely
braced himself on his elbows lifting his weight and his chest off him.

"You need to rest a bit; you have to be sore after that pounding I gave
you." Koen scolded, amusement colouring his eyes.

This new careful Koen was kind of touching, even sweet but Raul was already
hard again and he could feel Koen's equally hard cock against his hip. They
both wanted each other again and he didn't care about a little pain if he
could have Koen again. He'd never have enough of him if he loved another 50
years.

When Raul glared at Koen and tried to pull him back down on top of him the
red wolf resisted so Raul had to resort to dirty tactics. Skimming a hand
down Koen's body he wrapped his hand around Koen's cock and using a deft
thrust of his hips backed up by his own strength he flipped Koen over.
Before Koen even knew what was happening Raul squirmed down his body,
making sure to rub his entire body against him along the way and took his
cock into his mouth.

Raul was a natural cock sucker and had no gag reflex so it didn't take him
long before he was using his skilled mouth to swallow all of Koen's cock
and do his best to suck the cum out of him. He used is tongue to stroke
along the sensitive parts and hummed a little to create the right vibration
in his throat to massage him, his hands he used to stroke Koen's heavy
balls and the insides of his thighs, even his taut toned abs. By now Koen
was helpless and could only thrash helplessly on the bed beneath Raul, as
he began to fuck Raul's face.

Raul felt a wicked grin of his own curving around the cock in his mouth, no
doubt his wicked fun showed in his eyes.  Beyond words Koen moaned and his
thrashing was turning Raul on like nothing in his life and his hole was
hungry to take his mouth's place.

"Come mate and come get me." Raul teased as he let the cock in his mouth
slide out and didn't have to wait long to find himself flipped on his back.

It was his turn to moan now as he felt the weight of Koen's warm, hard body
shove between his legs and the wet cock he'd spent so much time lavishing
attention on was thrust into him.

"Mine, mine, mine." Koen muttered, all but chanting the softly growled
words into the heated, sweaty skin of Raul's neck in time to his hard, deep
thrusts. "All I think about is getting my cock, my teeth and my claws into
you. Mine, mine. . :

The words were more growl then word and it took a minute or two of focus
before Raul was even aware of what he was saying. But the words sent a warm
victory glow throughout Raul's entire body as he wrapped himself as tight
as he could around Koen and tilted his head back for a kiss. Taking his
invitation Koen's hot lips latched onto his and they feed on each other,
the thrust of Koen's tongue into Raul's mouth a match to what he was doing
to their bodies.

This time Raul's came with no real warning, one minute he was rocking into
Koen's hard, hungry thrusts and returning his equally hard kiss and then
one of Koen's hands was trailing sharp `wolf claws across his chest and
over his nipple. The same fingers began to tease his nipple, pulling,
tugging and scratching, as Koen's mouth moved up his neck and latched onto
the skin of his neck, sucking on his spot. It was enough that with a moan
Raul felt himself come without even touching himself as he clutched at
Koen. He buried his teeth in Koen's chest and sucked hard as he felt Koen
stiffen and jerk against him just as his insides filled with Koen's
juices. As he pulled his teeth out and basked in the feel and scent of his
jerking mate, he arched and moaned as he felt Koen's teeth sink into the
same spot behind his ear and felt him begin to feed on him.

"You bastards!" A shrill, outraged cry broke into their little world with
the effectiveness of a bucket of cold water.

Raul opened sleepy eyes to regard the angry female standing over them. He
realised in some amusement how they must look. He'd relaxed his grip on
Koen and was now slumped, relaxed under Koen. Koen still had his teeth
buried in his neck, more for closeness than anything else because Raul
couldn't feel him drawing blood. Koen still slumped on top of him, still
lying between his sprawled legs and his still half hard cock in him.

When Koen didn't rouse out of his sleepy stupor, Raul nudged him. "Mate?"
He queried in Koen's ear, a bit difficult to do with Koen's teeth in him.

But this seemed to piss the irate female off even more as she turned on her
heel and stormed out slamming the bedroom door behind her as loud as she'd
slammed it coming in. Raul heard her stomp all the way out of his apartment
and that's when Raul chuckled, remembering the open, broken front door.

As if the second slam was enough to bring reluctant consciousness to Koen,
Raul felt him stir, his hands tightening on their grip of his hair where
they'd slid when Koen had collapsed on him. Then Raul felt Koen withdraw
his teeth and nuzzle his neck.

"Who was that?" He murmured sleepily, a lazy green eye opening. "Noisy
neighbours you have here."

"That my mate was your girlfriend." Raul replied with a certain malicious,
wholly wicked amusement.

"Who?" Koen repeated, his pleasure sated brain not grasping it or any words
for that matter.

"Your girlfriend, Rudi, you know." Raul repeated patiently, his amusement
growing.

This time comprehension dawned on Koen's face and the mix of horror, shock,
bewilderment, anger, amusement and surprise marched across his face. Then
rueful, regretful amusement remained behind.

"Oh well, too late now isn't it?" Koen finally said, sounding at a loss.
"If she saw us then she saved me the trouble. Although I'd have liked to
have found a better way then this."

Raul grinned. "Well can't get more to the point can this can you?"

Koen punched Raul. "That's not funny."

Raul's grin widened.

Koen sighed as he eased awau from Raul and began hunting for his clothing.
"I better get up and go after her, have to do the right thing after all."

Raul felt a slight wistful regret in his mate and felt his jealousy rise as
he regarded him through it as his Koen got dressed. Seeing Raul's
expression and sensing them he came back and leaned down to run his fingers
through Raul's hair and kiss him.

"Sorry mate, you are mine, as well as I'm yours now, but she is my
girlfriend and we've had good times together. I care for her. It shouldn't
have been done this way." Koen said seriously, staring down at Raul. "I'll
be back soon, I promise, if I can even catch her now." He said with another
sigh as he pulled on his boots and padded out quietly.

Raul flopped on his bed and ran a hand through the same hair Koen had just
ran his hand through it, in frustration. Always the girlfriend!