Walking Home (Decadence and Candira)

Sophie had never been so worried about anyone in her entire life. She instantly felt relief when she walked into the room where Keith was being treated. She was at his side in seconds, kissing his cheek. "I'm so glad you're okay." She volunteered to make sure he stayed awake all night. And her parents soon chimed in as well.

Deliah gasped at the sight of him, like his own mother might have, had she cared about him. She rushed over, much like Sophie, her hand over her mouth. Just this morning he'd looked so handsome and healthy. Looking at him now....it actually hurt her to know that he was in pain. So she came to him and put her arms around him on his good side, kissing his cheek as well. "Oh, Keith."

Spencer walked in and stayed a respectful distance, frowning at the damage that had been done. "Well, they certainly did a number on you, didn't they?" He walked up to the bedside with his wife and put his arm around her. "I understand you were protecting Sophie. That was very brave of you, and I'm grateful for it. But it was also kind of dumb. I'm sure you know that though." He reached down and patted his good hand. "You're okay, kid. Don't worry about the bill for this visit. We've got it. Speaking of which, we need to take care of that. I'm sure you'll be okay with Sophie here," he said, smiling as he walked off with his wife.

Sophie waited until they were gone to look into those green eyes of his and kiss him again, her soft lips pressing against his. After a long moment, she pulled away and ran her fingers tenderly through his hair. "I'm not leaving you alone. Not while you're still hurt. Not while Jeff wants to hurt you." Speaking of Jeff. Her expression darkened as she thought of the bastard that had caused all of this stupid shit to happen. This was exactly why parents should man the fuck up and say no to their kids. "You probably shouldn't go back to your place alone, Keith. I'm not sure it's safe..."
 
He took a deep breath, feeling her warm lips on his cheek. He wanted to tell her more, tell her that he was willing to die just so she could see another day, and that he almost cried at the thought of losing her, but he just said, "Yeah, I'm glad you're okay too." The thought was inserted in the way he said it, though, and in the way his eyes shone while he looked at her, right after she kissed his cheek.

With Deliah, he suddenly thought about his own mom, and wondered how she was. He couldn't even remember the last time he thought that way about her. It just felt like it was too long ago. But laying there, feeling Deliah's arms around him nearly made him wish she had been his mom instead. He smiled at her, and when she topped it off with a kiss on his cheek, he felt his eyes blush. He blinked a few times to ward off the tears. "I'm okay, mom," he said, unaware the word slipped off his tongue.

With Spencer, he could only feel gratitude from his willingness to cover the medical bill. That, and he really did say that he was "okay" with him. He pretty much ignored everything else. Keith just felt a heavy weight lift from his shoulders. "You don't have to," he said. "Pay my bill, I mean." Spencer only responded by throwing his hand up to scoff away his request before leaving.

And then he was alone with Sophie. He closed his eyes as she kissed him, savoring the soft touch of her lips. The bruises from before were beginning to appear all over his face, with one red patch surrounding his eye. His lips, on the other hand, were still okay.

Once he felt her lips lift from his, he opened his eyes again. Their brilliant, green hue appeared from under the curtain of his eyelids. "I'm not leaving you too," he said, beginning to smile. He gazed deep into her gray eyes, watching the colors swirl as they stared back at him. Keith then raised his hand up and buried his fingers into her red hair, feeling the side of her head. "Can we do that again?" he asked, stroking her hair. He looked at her lips. "I miss them already."

* * * *​

Zack parked the car in front of the deli. "It's because I'm hungry," he said, feeling his mouth from where her hand had struck him earlier. She was lucky he was only feeling mildly attracted to her right now. Okay, the endorphins were kicking in, and he was feeling more than just attracted, he was feeling downright turned on by the sight of all that sweat glistening from her tan skin. My, she had some nice skin for someone as rough as her. It made him wonder how rough she really was beneath all that.

He opened the car door. He turned to look at her before leaving. "You coming along? How about this, I'll pay if you do," he said. "Christ...the things I have to do to get a woman to do anything. Just like cats," he mumbled to himself.
 
Sophie leaned into his hand a little, letting him play in her hair while she watched him. He was a little out of it, she could tell, but he was determined to stay with her. And she could see in his face and in his voice that be didn't want to leave her when he told her anything. It melted her heart and made her wish that she could do something--anything--to make him feel better, to keep him safer. She could see his face starting to bruise, but she didn't care as long as she didn't hurt him. At his request, she smiled and leaned in again, kissing him softly, her hair falling around them like a curtain.

He had very nearly died for her, and she was going to be there with him every minute until he figured out that she didn't want him to get hurt because of her. That she loved him dearly and that he meant just as much to her as she did to him.
_______________

Deliah shook her head. "That poor boy. Oh, and now they're both in this mess! Spencer, what should we do?" She wasn't quite panicking yet, but she was frustrated and definitely distraught. This sort of thing just didn't happen to most people and there wasn't a set plan for dealing with it. Normally, Deliah was quite mellow, but her baby girl was in danger, she was possibly in danger, and the boy who held Sophie's heart was now in the hospital with nasty injuries.

Spencer just pulled her to him a little closer. "We'll figure it out, D. My friends are checking out the house and Sophie's apartment and they've offered to post protection wherever we've decided to stay."

"Spencer...that boy loves her. Keith loves her."

He sighed and looked at his wife. "I know he does, D. I know that now. But I'm always afraid for my little girl. This is not helping. But I'm willing to cut him a lot of slack because of what he did today."
_____________

Faye rolled her eyes as he got out of the truck and headed for the Deli. And they say women have mood swings. Did he even realize what he sounded like? She fixed the ponytail her dark hair was kept back in and then headed over to the deli with him. Well, fine. Free food was free food, but she delivered a swift kick to his shin. "Well if you're gonna pay, pay. Don't bitch about it if you offered, stupid."

She looked up at him with eyes the color of a fine brandy, her Asian heritage showing through. She was fairly tall for her family, but she looked pretty short next to Zack. She was only 5'4", but she had a pretty rocking body for someone so small. Her breasts were perfectly proportionate to her body--not too big or too small but just right--and she was thin, but toned. And she wasn't one of those girls who were afraid of real food. Her tight butt was just the perfect shape for her and she had fairly long legs as well.

She'd just thrown on clothes that she might have worn at the shop. She wore a black tank top and riding gloves. She wore a pair of military green shorts and some vans with black ankle socks that barely showed at all. Around her neck was a delicate chain that held an oldfashioned worn key. Her mother made her carry it everywhere. It was the key to their family's home in China--the key to the gate, actually. It was to remind her of her heritage. Something she never forgot in the presence of her family. But her true nature often came out around Zack.

So it was that the small, knife wielding woman held the door open for him so he could walk in.
 
Keith could feel an overwhelming warmth spread across his body when he felt her lips return. Before he closed his eyes to savor it, he could make out her hair cascading all around her head, feeling them brush his face and cheek. He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent, which was already becoming so distinct to his nose. He lightly nibbled on her lips, sneaking in another kiss.

"Come lay here beside me," he said, stroking the curve of her earlobe with his thumb. He scooted to his left, giving her some room to share the bed with him. The pleasure of having her this close was enough to overwhelm and dull the pain. "I want you right here, Sophie. You make me forget the pain when you're here." He then kissed her once more on the lips, leaving a wet signature in its wake.

* * * *​

"Stupid?" Zack cried out, feeling his shin. "Don't you forget who's paying for your damn lunch!" There were people in the parking lot turning their heads at the scene they were creating. Zack just ignored them, fixating on the self-righteous bitch in front of him. For someone so small, she sure knew how to run her little mouth.

He walked pass her as she held open the door for him. How nice. He didn't say anything. He only glared at her. While he did, though, he felt a sudden contradicting feeling jab at him as his eyes brushed over her breasts. Goddamn, she was sure looking hot today. Her compact figure was tightly wrapped in a tank top and those green shorts. Zack always had a thing for Asian women--their ultra-feminine figure, their soft, pristine faces which never seemed to age, and in Faye's case, a body with assets a white woman could kill for. Asian girls usually never came equipped with a figure like Faye's, and seeing her flaunting it without even trying was enough to rip his brain into a contradictory split. The thick veins in his arms rose as his hands formed a fist. Why did this bitch have to be so hot?

Zack entered the deli, heading straight to the counter. "I'll have your biggest sandwich here," he ordered. "Make sure it has a lotta meat, and if you put any soy in it, I'll kill you...I'm just kidding." He laughed at the guy behind the counter, who just stood there and stared back contemptuously, before ringing his order.

He tapped his fingers over the counter, waiting for Faye to join him.
 
Sophie did exactly what he asked, parting from him for a moment so she could lay on his good side and stay close to him just like he wanted. She made sure her dress was still covering her in all the right places and then put her arm around him, cuddling close to his side. She kissed him back and felt herself fall a little more in love with him as he told her she made him forget his pain. No way was she leaving him now.

She kissed him back and looked up into his eyes. "You are really my hero, Keith Corbett. And a lady can't deny her hero, can she?" She smiled at him and held him close, a few people who'd come to see him walking right by as they saw what was happening within. Give him a few minutes, they figured, then come back.
_____________

Really? He was still going to pay for her? My my, what a contrary man he was. She walked in after him and listened to him practically bark his order at the kid behind the counter. Instinctively, she felt a little sorry for him. But then she saw the contempt in his eye and held back a chuckle. It was likely Zack would get a little extra ingredient if he wasn't more careful.

"Hey, make mine a six inch roast beef on white. Lettuce, onion, provalone, and mayo, please." Her order was treated with a little less contempt and she smiled at the kid, putting him in a much better mood before he went to go take care of that.

"You know, you should be a little less edgy to the people who handle your food," she warned, stretching her neck a bit. "So are we eating here or taking these to go?" she asked, the big bruiser of a guy seeming somehow more angry than he had been before.
 
She was as sweet as he could remember her when they were young and oblivious. The painful memories were beginning to melt away as they were replaced with the present. He quietly sighed to himself when he felt her warm body snuggling next to him. His good hand went around her back and embraced her, feeling more of her from the back. Keith forgot about his splitting headache, along with his broken arms. The drugs did help soothe the pain, but they didn't help him forget it much like having Sophie next to him did. He nuzzled his cheek against hers, wishing the moment lasted forever, because if this was all there was to life, then he'd be content laying beside her for eternity.

He felt her kiss, and he wanted to return each one with a dozen of his, even though he was getting drowsy from all the painkillers. He stared into the window of her soul, swimming in the ever changing color of her gray eyes. He kissed her. "Behind every man is a good woman, so I really don't deserve all of the praise, do I, Sophia Renard?" Keith said. He usually preferred to call her Sophie, since it seemed more convenient, but Sophia had a pleasant ring to it as well, accentuating the overflowing feminine in her.

He kept himself as close as he could to her, feeling every part of her against him. It wasn't fair that she could only feel half of him, but once he was okay again, he was going to make sure she would feel as much of him as he could possibly muster. His eyelids began to grow heavy while he basked in the blissful silence they were sharing. He was oblivious to the nurses and visitors walking by the room, since he was too high up there in the clouds to notice anything as trivial as rubberneckers passing by the doorway.

Keith fell into a slumber. Right before he fell asleep, his lips began to move, murmuring nondescript words to himself. Eventually, a phrase formed from the unconscious spilling. "Sophie. I love you."

* * * *​

"Give them a few minutes, bro," Marcos said while they passed by Keith's room.

Evan looked at him, then at the door. "I have an even better idea," he said. He slipped inside the door, keeping himself from Keith's girlfriend's view and removed the doorstop, allowing them some privacy. "I figure it's the best we could do for him," he said, shrugging.

"Bro, remind me to make you my best man," Marcos said.

"Do you even need a reminder?"

* * * *​

"You really think so?" Zack asked her. His shades were still on while they were inside, and it made him look more douche than baddass. "All right then," he said, turning to the kid. "Here's a tip." With a flat palm, he slid a five dollar bill up the counter. "You get to keep the change if you make sure nobody spits in my sub, capische?"

"But...sir, the sub costs 4.99..."

"Yeah, and if you're still gonna do it, I'm gonna kill ya, fair enough?" Zack's gruff exterior was intimidating, and he was the type to do so for matters as petty as this one. At that moment, only Faye could stand in his way, because she had kryptonite growing out of her pussy.

"We'll eat here," he said to her. "That way, if I find out if anyone's been fucking with my food, I can still be here to do something about it," he said, tilting his head down so the kid can see his eyes piercing him from under his shades.

He paid for Faye's sandwich, tossing in another five. "Feel free to tip him if you think he deserves it."

Nobody inside the building knew this, but Zack felt relieved to act like an asshole. A lot of it had to do with having Faye here with him. Nobody ever had the balls to push him around (in his face at least), but it only took a little Chinese girl to undermine it all. That's why he couldn't stand her. If abusing his power a little bit prevented him from hitting anyone like Faye, then so be it. He enjoyed a good power trip.
 
Sophie smiled and soon fell asleep with him, sure that she had imagined the last 4 words she heard. Still, it was enough to make her want to protect him. He was sweet and so tender like this. It was a shame he was covered in bruises and injured. She would take care of him. But for now...sleep...
_______

Faye rolled her eyes and slid the kid two dollars. "Just make sure no one spits in our subs, kay?" She turned to the big lug in front of her and shook her head. He never used to be this way. Well...okay, not to this extent anyway. His ex wife had done a number on him, but this was just silly. "You know, you don't have to throw your weight around everywhere, Zack." That said, she paid for a drink and took a coke from the cooler. "Thanks for lunch," she said, feeling somehow...weird for saying it.
 
Zack grunted, taking his sub and his own drink, paying for it after Faye did. He looked at her, readying himself to say something in response, but he didn't. He couldn't admit that deep down, he missed his ex-wife, and that having Faye around didn't help one bit. Plus, she was Asian, and was a pretty one too.

Then she did something he didn't even expect. She actually thanked him. He wasn't sure whether that was a part of her heritage to think that way, but he hadn't expected such sunny goodness to emerge from all that black hair and seething angst. "You're welcome, my lady, now come sit with me."

Zack found a table near the counter, taking a seat. His hands unwrapped his sandwich, while his eyes scanned the contents. Nothing. He even bent his nose down to sniff at it. Nothing but meat. Good. He then proceeded to devour the sub, taking enormous bites. Before Faye could even reach his table, he was already done with the first half.
 
Faye accepted her sandwich as well, which appeared to have gotten extra care and was pristine in its wrapping appearance. She took her sandwich to follow after him and watched with great amusement as he checked his sandwich for anything...extra. Chuckling, she sat down across from him at the table and unwrapped hers finding that it was free of anything but sandwich-y goodness. Happily she bit into it and noted that his was nearly gone.

"Jeez, slow down there. Chew the food, Zack. That's what teeth are for," she said looking out the window as she bit into hers. She frowned as she saw a van--it wasn't the one before but it certainly reminded her of the one in the parking lot. What the hell was all of that about anyway?

"Hey, Zack, what do you suppose Keith's gotten himself into?" She asked a little worried. Still, she continued to eat her sandwich, glad that she didn't have to forage at the hospital. Poor kid. That pretty face of his was gonna have to be camera shy for a while.
 
Zack glared at her as he went through half of his remaining six-inch. He chewed it down quickly, without making a mess, before dabbing his mouth with a paper napkin. Why was he letting her speak to him this way? His hand then went up and removed his sunglasses.

"Easy for you to say," he replied, eying her. "You sure you're not gonna take that home with you? I can finish it for you if you'd like." He finished his food right after he finished his sentence. After that, he then drew his head back and burped loudly, relaxing back in his seat.

He thought for a moment when she asked him about Keith. "Seems to me like he pissed off a bunch of rich kids. I'm not worried. All you have to do is break a few bones, and they'll learn their lesson. If they come back with their parents, well, you break them too." He laughed. "Unless you use knives, they can be tracked if you're not careful."
 
She caught his subtle dig at her, but she didn't let it bother her. If she was asked, she would just say it was self defense. If they came after her, she had a lot more knives where that came from. Plus Judo lessons. And, of course a father who was a martial artist of numerous talents. She frowned. "Yeah, but aren't they taking it a little far? I mean, to go after his girlfriend...and I heard them mention something about her parents too..." She frowned and continued to eat her sandwich, not in that big of a rush to finish.

His belch from earlier wasn't much that was new, nor was it something she particularly enjoyed, but Zack was Zack. And if there was one thing about him that hadn't changed, it was his eating habits. She set her sandwich down, almost half way gone, to get a sip of her pop.

"Speaking of his girl, what did you think of Sophie?"
 
Zack shrugged. "Maybe Keith stole his car too," he said. "If he did, then I suppose that's where I got the money for my new manifold from." He chuckled to himself. "If they're going after that poor girl's parents, then it might have something to do with pride. It ain't for money, and I sure as hell don't think it's for love."

He inhaled his soda, nearly finishing it. He noticed she only took a sip from hers. He was a whirlpool, and she was a cat when it came to refreshments.

"What do I think of Sophie?" He asked. Suddenly, he saw really large breasts, flowing red hair, and a young, pretty face. He blinked. "She's a sweet girl," he said. "Why do you ask?"
 
Faye shrugged and dug back into her sandwich. "I don't know. Something about her seems different from Keith's usual pool of girls. He says they've known each other since they were little." She paused for a moment to swallow and looked at him. "He said she's the one. If he's that attached to her and she really is in danger, maybe we should offer to help them out a little." She took another swig of her coke and then polished off her sandwich, neat and clean without a napkin.
 
He took down the rest of his drink, crushing the can in his fist. "He really did say that, did he? I think my boy's getting soft." He chuckled, shaking his head. "She told me she had no problem covering his medical bill, so I suppose that's a good sign. Keith settling down, though, that's sure something." He took another moment to be pensive. "I'm not leaving the kid alone, especially not after all that. He's gonna owe me for backing his ass after this, so that's why we're gonna pay him a visit. Besides, I think Evan and Marcos need a ride back."

Zack looked at her as she finished her lunch. He then began to clap. "Well I'm impressed. You've managed to finish it. Think you could finish the drink before we get to the hospital?" He then slowly rose from his chair, gathering the garbage to discard. "You know, for someone as pretty as you are, Faye, why aren't you with a man? What's the matter, you scaring them all off with your attitude?"
 
She shot him a rather bland look as she took another sip of her coke. It was nearly empty, but she wasn't in a rush to finish it. His clapping only made her roll her eyes again. "Not everything's a race or a competition you know. I like to enjoy what I eat. Not just vaporize it." She did notice, however, that he'd managed to dodge answering her question about Sophie. Then again, she was a pretty girl and from what Keith and Zack told her, she was nice enough.

"And anyway, I'm not the one who leaves cans in his back seat," she said. At his question about why she wasn't with a man, she was almost literally shocked. Not only had he called her pretty--something he had almost never done--but he was asking why she wasn't in a relationship. Him.

"You really want to touch that subject? You really want to go there?" She asked, raising her eyebrow and crossing her arms a little. She would answer, but she could also turn the question around at him. Not that he was a pretty Asian woman, but the point remained valid.
 
He waited for her, remaining on his feet as he watched her finish that can of Coke. "And I'm not the one who makes people wait as they finish their drinks. Besides, just leave the can in my car." He gestured her to follow him. "Come on, we can't sit here, forever. Time is money."

"And I believe I was the one who asked first, so yes, I'd really like to know. You could fetch a nice guy yourself, but you haven't yet. So I'm curious."
 
Faye finished off her drink, gratified by the last drop. She tossed it in the garbage which was a good two feet away and then tossed her wrapper in as well. That done, she turned to the impressive person next to her and sighed. "Jeez, you sound like my parents. Maybe I like being single. Ever think of that?" she asked, frowning.

Truly, if she had gotten her chance at Zack before his whore of a wife, maybe she wouldn't be where she was now, but damn it, she couldn't let the idea go. And it wasn't because he was hurting, but because she just couldn't see her life going another direction with someone who wasn't at least like Zack.

"Look, I don't like being pressured into finding the right person. I figure if he shows up, fantastic. He'll show up, we'll get to know each other, and we'll figure it out. But honestly, why just fill your time with someone who doesn't mean anything? There's no point in rushing into something, as you have so nicely taught all of us," she said, a tinge of bitterness in her voice. "I'll find someone when I'm good and ready."

Clearly, she had had arguments like this with her parents or other relatives before. She hated to take it out on him like this, but she just got so tired of defending herself. Especially when he was a part of the problem.
 
It was entertaining watching her justify herself. Faye always seemed so quiet, calculating, and precise. She showed some talent as a leader as well. He hadn't been the one telling his boys what to do once they arrived. It was her. So that must have meant they respected her more than him, at least to some degree. But still, she never seemed to open up much. Maybe it was her defensive tone, or the frustration he could detect in her voice, but Zack could sense something soft about her. She hadn't been pure ice all along, but more like Crème brûlée. Beneath that hard crust, she was soft and delicious.

Zack looked at her, amused by the sound of her voice. He placed his hand on her shoulder, feeling her soft skin along with her tank top lining it. "You sound really cute when you actually talk about yourself like that," he said, smiling at her. He then pulled his hand back and walked away towards his truck, unlocking the door before stepping into the vehicle.
 
Well that was a complete 180. Wasn't he just complaining about how she ate too slow? How did he get to, "You sound really cute when you actually talk about yourself like that"? And all the sudden he was touching her? Who was this man? Zack would have recoiled as though she'd pumped him full of venom just yesterday if she'd tried to touch him. Where was all this coming from?

Frowning, and so confused, Faye hopped into the passenger's seat, not really sure what to say to him. Soon they'd be at the hospital, trying to see their good buddy Keith to see just how bad it really was and what they could do to help.
 
And then...she was back inside her shell. She was so tentative, like a cat testing the waters with a tap of its paw. Great, now he was beginning to see cats in a more positive light. What was next, he was gonna sign up for sewing lessons? Zack revved up the black SUV and got on the road, noticing how quiet she got right after he touched her shoulder.

"You're quiet," he said, taking his eyes off the road for a second to take a glance at her slender profile. What was he doing? Was he really beginning to feel like he could see something in Faye? It sounded so ludicrous, while at the same time, so...exciting. God did he still hate her though, but all that heated hate was beginning to give him a hard on the more he thought of it.
 
"Sorry, I just...It's hard to figure you out sometimes. One second you're ready to punch me, and the next you tell me I'm cute. What am I supposed to do with that? You know?" She frowned a little. "Besides. It's not like we don't have a lot to think about." Still, it was more her thinking of the first part than anything else that was keeping her quiet. What was he thinking? Was he actually starting to move on? Or was he just having mood swings? Men.
 
Zack didn't say anything. He only treated her to some silence as he drove to the hospital. He eventually turned on the radio to a classic rock station. Something from Poison came on, and he turned that up until the music made him forget, even though he began to think about it again later.

He turned down the music low enough to support a conversation. "I don't like to think," he said, even though he had been doing some thinking about her. "And I don't know what you're supposed to do. I just know that you're too damn picky about who you end up in bed with."
 
She raised an eyebrow and turned to him. "I am, huh? Well, I suppose that might be true," she said, thinking about it for a few minutes. "But I'd say your problem is that you're not picky enough." Things were always uncomfortable between them now, and she hated it. They used to be good friends. Or at least on speaking terms with each other. Now, they could barely talk to each other this much.

"Anyway, we're almost there," she said, wishing to see the hospital sooner than later so she could sort all this out in her head without him watching her and switching between the guy she used to know and the guy he'd become every twelve seconds.
 
He wasn't picky enough? What the hell was that supposed to mean? He scoffed at what she said, smiling incredulously. "You really think I'm just some kind of man whore? Oh, you really don't know me very well, Faye." He shook his head. Although...she was right. He'd been sleeping around with women in bars almost every night since Angela left him. How the fuck she knew about that, he didn't know, but he knew it was time to start screening for moles at his shop.

It was already well into the afternoon once they arrived at the hospital. Zack decided to keep his mouth shut as he walked into the hospital, deciding to leave his shades in the car this time. He didn't even bother to wait for Faye; he just minded his own business. After being informed of where Keith was staying, they took the elevator up to his floor. They were alone again.

"I bet if you farted, everybody would think it was me," he suddenly said.
 
In fact, Faye did know him pretty well. She was at his shop almost every day, running some sort of job that someone had asked for extra help with. She, however, often went unseen. Especially when there was another woman involved. So yeah, he kind of was a man-whore, but that wasn't what she'd meant when she said that. Instead of replying, she merely shrugged and stayed quiet for the rest of the ride. That terrible, awkward, painful silence.

The smaller woman didn't bother trying to keep up with Zack's giant pace, and just walked with a purpose. In the end, she caught up with him anyway, so the point was pretty much moot. When he next spoke to her, it was about farting. The level of ridiculous on that statement was just beyond her. So she looked up at him after rolling her eyes and gave him a small smile. "I'm sure that's true, but why would you even think about that? Are you four?" she asked with a laugh.
 
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