Jesters Of The Moonless Sky {Gavin} [precaution M]

[Regina Apple]

The cuddle Gina and Gavin shared was a very enjoyable cuddle. No one had ever really cuddled her before. She didn't really tumble in the hay much - not anymore anyway, not since meeting Gavin - what with the risk and everything. And any tumbling she did, Gina always had to get away quickly - she'd often filled her pockets with the guy's belongings and deemed it necessary to make a quick get away. That or she had to get away because they would realise that she wasn't actually the long lost princess of England.

Regina was almost too lost in her thoughts to hear Gavin's question. She raised her head slightly to say, "Huh?" whilst looking at him. Her mind backtracked to what he'd asked, so she added, "Oh, no I'm fine. Never better." She rested her head back on his chest, holding it up was making her neck ache and nestling into Gavin was far more enjoyable. She was a little confused as to why he was asking of her state, what had she done to make him worry about her. She liked it that he was worried about her. She hoped that at least that aspect of this night would continue.

She pouted with discontent when Gavin took his hand away, but it was quickly wiped away with a look of contentment. He'd pulled her closer in. Never mind beating erractically, Gina's heart had jumped right out of her rib cage and was doing a little jog out in the open air. She had to remind herself to breathe as Gavin started to stroke her hair. She tried to make her breaths as mornal as possible, but she had a horrible feeling that they would completely give her away. Or worse, make him stop. Hyperventilating was apparently not good.

As a way of returning the hair stroking gesture, Gina started to trace circles again with her thumb. Though they were hardly circles, it was more stroking him seen as how she left her hand flat. Lathargy had completely taken over. His question surprised her. "What d'ya mean?" We hyperthetically or here literally? She doubted Gavin even knew the word hyperthetical let alone knew what it mean, and his explaination confirmed this theory. "Liverpool's not as pretty as Sherwood and the lords aren't as fat." She looked up to see him grinning at her, she gave him a smirk in return. "I'm hardly pinning you down. I'm sure you could muster some of that manly strength of yours to turn the tables."

[Gavin Bates]

”Good.”

He wasn’t really worried exactly, he supposed, it was more just a paranoia thing. They weren’t doing anything, they were both being fairly quiet, they were the only ones around the camp – it was the most relaxed way of showing he was at least slightly concerned about the fact that no one else had turned up yet. He felt her breathing change a little, frowned for a moment, and shoved it off. Maybe she was just odd like that, another thing discovered about Apple. Quirks were good, anyway. So long as her funny breathing didn’t mean she was going to die on him or something. That wouldn’t be good.

Her thumb tickled him a little bit, but he wasn’t going to say anything after their last problem involving his ticklishness. He cursed that, sometimes, and it was part of why he didn’t like people being physically close – sometimes the smallest brush would send him into barely controlled laughter and send shivers up his spine. He didn’t like being tickled, it made him grouchy. But he’d gotten good at hiding it when he was tickled, for the most part – the leaf earlier had caught him off guard quite badly.

”I just mean…” he sighed in slight annoyance, mostly with himself. He didn’t really know what he meant. He just… wasn’t comfortable in Nottingham anymore. Too many variables, too many changes in the grand scheme of how the world worked and all that malarkey. ”It just seems to me like we stick around because we’re too lazy to leave…” He laughed softly at the thought of the fat lords around the area, and his eyes fluttered closed for a moment, only to open again as Regina returned his smirk and replied. He leant his head back and closed his eyes again. ”Sod that, I’m comfortable right here.”

[Regina Apple]

It was safe to say that Gavin confused the life out of Gina. One minute he was concerned, the next he was brushing that concern off with what seemed to be disinterest. It made her head spin. Does he care, does he not? Gina was very good at dwelling on topics and twisting them in her mind until they no longer resembled what they originally were. This very one was so contorted and continually changed, it was like a cloud - forever morphing into another familiar yet alien shape.

Every connection with Gavin sent shivers down Regina's spine - the good kind of shivers. She wanted this night to never end, to never be ruined by the new day. She wondered if she could cancel tomorrow, say it wasn't going to happen to a lack of interest or something. She certain didn't give a hoot about tomorrow. Unless it bought long more Gavin related goodies. Then she would want tomorrow. Her head ached - she could tie herself in a good knot sometimes. Gina believed that someone needs to push a button to make her stop thinking, it would do the world of good on so many levels.

She picked up on his annoyance. Was he annoyed that she was half lying on top of him? Or annoyed with Nottingham? She stopped her mind right there and let Gavin explain himself. She didn't know whether she agreed with him or not. Nottingham, Sherwood and the villages was all she knew. Gina had no desire to go anywhere else. Though, if Gavin went she would follow. She'd follow him to the end of the world if needs be. "Maybe it's because we have something good here and don't want to risk losing it." She meant the loot of course. Well she didn;t, but as far as Gavin was concerned, she meant the loot.

Seeing Gavin get more comfortable - and hearing it too - Gina set her head back the way it was. As nice as it was looking at Gavin, she didn't want neck crick in the morning. "Me too." She agreed. "Could stay here forever." She yawned.

[Gavin Bates]

”Something good? he asked, almost in disbelief. No, he couldn’t see anything good here. There were a few girls he liked to talk to, a few people he liked to steal from, a few people he could say he got on with. But that was about it. He had a family in Nottingham – he never spoke to them, and they thought of him as being pretty much dead. He was, technically – he was just delaying his death by not being caught by the law. The gang continued to disappoint him time and again – Josh and his nancy ways, Hanton and Forrest never being around, Simon flouncing off to god knows where, and Tristan… Well, he wasn’t going to start on Tristan. They all knew he’d be gone when he had the chance, it was just that the right opportunity hadn’t come along yet. Oh, Tristan thought he was better than the rest of them, but in the end he was still after one thing – a way to better himself, be it financially or in the hierarchy of society. Gavin just wanted to say ”Sod the lot of you!” and grab Tristan’s horse, riding off into the sunset…

But he didn’t. They did have some form of security here – an unspoken pledge of allegiance to the group, to help where possible (although if you got yourself in it deep, then you were on your own), to look after one another because it meant you too would be looked after. Oh, he good get by just fine by himself, he had done before, but it was difficult to give up something that he’d started taking for granted. And then there was Regina.

Apple.

”I ‘spose,” he muttered, feeling Regina shift against him. His eyes fluttered closed, opening again for a moment, but the allure of sleep was too tempting for him and he could feel himself falling to the call. ”Then stay forever,” he muttered, barely more than a breath. His grip around Apple tightened as he drifted off, rather than relaxing – he didn’t want her to move, she was warm and it felt… well, right, as corny as that sounded to his sleep befuddled brain.

”You know what?” he breathed. ”I… think I… lo…”

But he fell asleep before he could finish.

It would be an interesting talk in the morning, to say the least.

[Regina Apple]

He sounded so doubtful. Did he really believe life in Nottingham was that bad? "Well, yeah. Something very good." So very good that no one was allowed to speak of it. Not unless you knew this something good was requited. Ok, so that was veering off the point a little. Nottingham was good. They had a reputation, people feared them, loot was easy to nab if you had the right sources - it was just food they lacked. And beer. They definitely needed more ale and beer and general alcoholic goodies.

It was only really Gina who had the unrequited goodie which wasn't to be spoken of. Though she really did believe everyone this side of Sherwood knew, except of course Gavin. Sod's Law and all that. It was so annoying! Maybe if she could just prove to him that it would be a good thing - they'd be great together! Regina seriously believed that they were meant to be or some destiny rubbish like that. But why shouldn't they? They were both cut-throat outlaws, both had similar views on the world and they just work! Somehow she didn't believe that would be a good enough arguement for Gavin though.

"Don't mind if I do." Gina said, with equal lacking of effort. She was comfortable enough to nod right off to sleep. Gavin's warmth was mingling with her own; his scent filled her lungs; his hands on her - it was like heaven on Earth. Gina responded to Gavin holding her tighter by nestling in further. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to convince him. "What do I know?"

"I... think I...lo..." Regina stopped. Nothing worked for at leats thirty seconds. Was he going to finish that sentence the way she hoped he would? Was he about to admit that he loved her? Why wasn't he finishing?! She forced her body into awareness, trembling with a coctail of emotions - there were so many couldn't pinpoint one. Gavin still hadn't said anything and she was beginning to worry - the only clear emotion in the tangle.

Removing herself slightly from his arms, Gina propped herself up to take a look at him. Any anger she felt - if that was in the odd mix - subsided when she saw his peaceful face. Still shaking, a smile grew at the corner of her lips - not that evil grin she normally wore, but a loving smile. One she could only show in the dark when eyes were closed, like Gavin's were now. He looked so cute when he slept. Leaning forward, she brushed her lips across his cheek and hovered by his ear. "I love you too." She whispered before kissing him softly on the lips. She too settled down to sleep after that, resting on Gavin's chest. The smile didn't fade as she fell into a deep sleep.

(ooc- spot the gratuitous Imogen Heap lyrics XD And is morning going to be in a new thread?)

[Gavin Bates]

For once in his life in the forest, it wasn’t the sound of the blasted birds in the trees cajoling him from the realms of sleep, and it wasn’t the kicking in the ribs from another member of the gang because he’d been a lazy git and slept in. It wasn’t even the sunlight pouring down into his face, startling him from his dreams (which he never remembered, but thought were vaguely pleasant for a change).

It was the blow in his stomach from someone’s knee, and as he woke up, grumbling to himself and nearly reaching for his dagger, he found himself staring at the top of a rather blonde head, the owner of which was snuggled up close to him, her knee currently digging into his stomach still. He supposed whoever it was must be asleep still, his brain still addled from his previous state of unconciousness, and he rolled onto his back, throwing an arm over his face to block out the light (though the other was still stuck beneath the girl next to him). From his brief glimpse of the world as he turned, he was clearly in the forest – in the camp, even, which surprised him – he’d brought a girl back with him? Surely not… He didn’t remember a lot about the night before, really, he’d drunk that much, but he was fairly sure he was missing something important…

Something niggled the back of his brain and he removed his arm to look down at the girl in his arms, surprised to find it wasn’t some random tavern maid or a peasant running away from her father but…

Regina.

He blinked for a moment, wondering what his fellow outlaw was doing lying there in his arms, and then slammed his head back down on the rock he was laying on and stared up at the leaves.

What the hell had he gone and done, now?

[Regina Apple]

Gina was a fidgety sleeper, which normally didn't cause any trouble. But she'd been lying next to Gavin and was vaguely aware that she kept whacking him with her knees. Well, she kept kneeing things in her dreams like trees and the odd cow with apple shapes on it - yes, her mind was exceptionally weird. But she kept seeing Gavin in her dreams, just out of the corner of her eye like always, which reminded her who she was lying next to. Everytime it woke her up slightly, making her heart buzz and breath become shallow.

All in all, she was tired and potentially grouchy from the lacking of sleep. Thankfully though she was still buzzing from the high of spending a night sharing a bed with Gavin. But she wasn't about to start bouncing around the camp, that was weirder than the apple cows, she was tired and wanted to sleep. And make this morning last as long as possible. It was perfect. A quick sneaky peek told her that no one was around. They were all probably stuck in the hay after extreme tumbling.

Though Gavin was now getting fidgety too, all moving his arms about and head-butting rocks. He was making her cold! And nervous. Was his alcohol-less state beginning to regret this. Part of her hoped that he was still drunk, then she could continue coaxing out the Gavin which almost admitted his love for her. Well, that is what she hoped he was going to say. It would have been a very good sentence if he had. A very good sentence.

A pang of panic hit Regina. What if he was sober and was now regretting what he remembered of last night. She didn't know if her heart could cope with that, being built up so high, only to have it knocked back down by rationality and common sense. What little common sense he had anyway. And what was she to do now? Let him know she was awake by saying good morning and risk having him freak out on her, or just stay silent and prevent him from moving. The latter held more chance of making this embrace go on longer, but what was stopping him from getting his arm from under her. She could hold onto it, but that would give away that she was awake.

She finally decided on letting him in on her awakeness, it was going to happen anyway. But she was going to make out like she'd only just woke up. She started to stretch and yawn. Rolling over to face him, she blinked and looked up to Gavin. "Morning." She said, still yawning.

[Gavin Bates]

No one could blame Gavin for getting fidgety really, as he was one of those people who disliked sitting perfectly still. Oh, he didn’t have to be up at all hours and walking around, so long as some part of his body was going – his hand, his foot, his fingers. It didn’t really matter, as long as something was moving. And his arm, trapped by the sleeping Regina, was going numb now he realised it was there. Of course, at least it made him wonder exactly what had happened.

All he could really, properly remember, after rubbing his forehead furiously, was that he’d come back to camp and he’d maybe nearly snogged Apple. Only maybe, even that was a little bit blurry, and his headache wasn’t helping all that much. He groaned a little, he felt Regina shift around and held back a grimace. Oh, he didn’t want to be dealing with this right now. Not now. Because really, it was too early in the day and he felt like utter rubbish, and he didn’t need Gina getting all soppy on him because he didn’t want to sit down and have a cuddle with her. What would the others say if they got back? He had an image to uphold!

Groaning, he replied, ”Morning,” in a rather gruff manner, and turned his head enough that his face was still protected from the sun by his hand, but he could still see the woman beside him. And she was facing him. He wondered if she could see his likely bloodshot eyes, or the redness that was beginning to creep up on him, as if he was a little boy embarrassed because he’d hit the girl he liked.

Oh, they were so not going down that road today.

So now what did he do? Talk to her, pretend it didn’t happen? What? He didn’t exactly want to upset her too much, because then he’d never be able to put up with her, but he didn’t want to admit he had any feelings of any sort for her either (though he had a sneaking suspicion that he might have done something of the sort). As he waited for her to reply, he wondered why his lips tingled, as if he’d been kissed…

Nah, she wouldn’t have dared!

[Regina Apple]

Go figure. Gavin was being distant and regretful. Gina should have known that he wasn't going to continue playing her way. She knew this was going to happen. But it still hurt. And boy did it hurt. Never mind that wasp sting she got when seeing him with other women, this was on a whole new level of pain. Her heart had been severed from her chest, put on the ground for all manner of beings to trample on and once it was nice and flat it had been put over a fire to cook for someone to enjoy. And on top of all that, someone had dropped salty water on the gaping wound on her chest. "Stung" doesn't quite cover this one either.

But Gavin would see none of that. Practised liar as she was, she looked sleepy and sleepy alone. Maybe she should pretend to be hungover too, he looked pretty rough this morning - maybe he'd have to take his annual bath early. Though, she'd seen him worse and not bathe then, so probably not. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. Playing oblivious to what happened the night before might be the wisest thing to do. And it's not as if he wouldn't believe her. So long as he didn't remember that she hadn't been at the pub, she'd be fine.

"Urgh my head! How'd we end up here?" She wondered how much he did remember. She of course remembered the entire thing, from the moment he stumbled in to the moment she fell asleep. Though the night had its ups and downs, Gina would never forget it for the rest of her life. It was the first night she'd uncovered any kind of softness to Gavin. And they'd kissed, always a bonus. "You don't think we...?" She tried to sound like it was an off limits topic and that it should be fair gross; but in her mind it sounded a little too half hearted. Hopefully, it would convince him, what with being all fuzzied headed and whatnot.

[Gavin Bates]

Gavin rolled his eyes. Had Apple really come boozing with him? She didn’t usually, which was often a shame – gave him a chance to feel her up, which was always fun – and it surprised him. But apparently she had a fairly bad head too, or she seemed to – he could never tell when she was lying, it freaked him out a little bit. He might have to go splash his face or something, that tended to help with his headaches, but he’d have to build up the energy to move in the first place. The world was spinning slightly, and he was starting to feel a little bit sick.

He tried to roll his eyes at her question, but it just made the nausea that much worse and so he stopped. ”Well, I imagine it involved walking through the woods, and it might have something to do with the fact that we live here,” he snapped, pulling his arm out from underneath her head sharply. Why hadn’t he just done that in the first place? He made no move to get up, though; he was much better off lying still.

”Yes, because we’d do it then get dressed again just for the sake of confusing ourselves in the morning,” he replied, a little annoyed at how grossed out she sounded. He wasn’t bad looking, dammit, what was with that? She clearly hadn’t been complaining the night before, if she’d slept next to him – something would have happened, just not to the extent Apple was suggesting.

God, he really must have been drunk to not carry on. It had never stopped him before. He’d never put it down to the thought that he might actually respect Apple, though. That was just absurd.

[Regina Apple]

Gina got the vague impression that Gavin wasn't buying her story. One look at her eyes and he'd be certain - they weren't bloodshot like his. But that would involve him looking in her eyes, something he only did when he was horrendously drunk, like the previous night. She'd been so stupid! Believing that he was being genuine. It was the ale talking and the disappointment that he'd got none from a maid. Ale made him do things like this everytime, he was always feeling her up at pubs.

She shot him a dark look, trying to make it look like she felt really rough. "I meant that I don't remember leaving the pub." That was the first honest thing she'd said all morning really, she wouldn't remmeber leaving the pub because she was never there to leave. Her head was fine and she was most certainly not disgusted by the thought of tumbling with Gavin. Hello, this was Regina's mind in question here. There wasn't a day when she didn't think of such goings on. Not that she'd ever let Gavin know, now she knew he held fairweather affctions for her. She was only suitable when his eyes were blurred enough to make her look like anybody else.

His annoyance to her question did spark hope up in her though, without her persmission. "Sorry. I'm just all confused." She threw in another double meaning there, well sort of. For Gavin's sake, she was confused because of her pounding headache. When really she was just confused as to how he felt about her, and about what last night had meant. She hoped that it wasn't a momentary lapse in judgement, and more a thing to stay.

When he pulled his arm out from under her head, it knocked Gina's head back onto the rock they lay on. It hurt. Even without the splitting headache. So for pay back she yelled loudly, "Ow!" But she had to pretend that it hurt her headache too, so she sat up clutching her head and whimpered slightly. "You could have just asked. I would have sat up." Her eyes watered from the bash to the head, but Gina couldn't help but feel they were welling up because of last night. At least now she could blame it on the rock and say her eyes were just leaking. Regina didn't cry. Outlaws don't cry. It's against the rules. Which is why Hood was a rubbish outlaw, he cried all the time.

[Gavin Bates]

Gavin wasn’t awake or alert enough to think about looking into Gina’s eyes, and even if he did, he’d try to do it covertly or she’d do that womanly thing and think it was romantic or something. Which he was rarely in the mood for. The only reason he felt her up when he was drunk was because he didn’t have enough courage to do so when sober – he respected Gina and knew she hit back, hard, and was vindictive enough to probably do things to him that he wouldn’t like. Such as castrate him. That would be no fun, after all. Being drunk gave him an excuse to get close and then hide again in the morning, as if nothing ever happened.

Oh, he hadn’t, had he? Groped her too much, he meant. He didn’t want to give her the wrong message – that she didn’t mean anything, or would he be telling her that he wanted her? Seriously, women, they confused him beyond all else. So many things could send so many messages to them when all you meant was something really rather simple. Like, oh, you’re rather shaggable.

”Join the club,” he muttered, rubbing his forehead a little bit. It was too early in the day for this, really. His own double meaning was a little more simple – he was confused, because he was fairly sure he remembered Apple saying she’d rather not go to the pub before he left, and because he’d woken up in her arms. Or her in his arms. Whichever, there were arms involved, and not the weapon kind.

Gavin winced as she yelled. ”Sorry,” he mumbled, uncharacteristic but he wanted to placate her a little. He hoped she didn’t pick up on that. ”Are we still near the river here?” he asked, unable to remember whether they’d moved camp or not. He needed to at least splash his face a little, and the only reason he ever got back to camp was by pure luck. Plus his head was just that fuzzy.

[Regina Apple]

Truth be told, Gina would love it if Gavin felt her up when he was sober, rather than just when he was drunk. She'd jump on the chance (and him most probably)! It would mean - to her - that he loved her too, or something of the like. But, for her own reputation, if he did it in front of the guys she would have to hit him - but what were the chances of that happening? Gavin had his own reputation to consider, and it could possibly show that Gina was a weakness to Gavin. Oh the knots!

Gibna kept reliving every touch they shared the night before - from when she had a knife to his throat to lying in his arms. Each one sent a jolt of electricity through her stomach, upsetting it most wonderfully. But with each connection came a million questions - mostly revolving round "What does it all mean?!" Sometimes she wished she had the simplicity Gavin had; no mixed messages, no questions with a thousand answers. Just a simple 'yes' or 'no'. (Preferably "Yes, I do love you," but beggars can't be choosers.)

"How much did we drink?" Well, she knew the answer. Regina had drunk nothing - save a bit of water from the river - and Gavin had drunk lots - enough for him to let his guard down. If Gavin suddenly remembered that she hadn't eft with them, she lie and say she came later. With her expert lying skills it would be a feesible story.

She fought to keep the smirk off her face as the screech did its job. Thankfully Gavin's out of place apology shocked her. He was sorry? Was last night's Gavin still around? She couldn't not poke fun at the apology though. Even if Gina was hungover, she'd have a crack at that. "Sorry? You still drunk?" Part of her wanted to know, so then she could take full advantage. She tried to grin, but remembered she was supposed to be feeling rough. So the grin became lopsided and then a grimace.

"Yeah, river is five minutes that way." Gina flapped in the general river direction. "Give us a sec and I'll come with." She started to sit up and climb off the rock - making a right meal out of it. Maybe she was over doing it a bit. It was hard to reinact a hungover state as your head got that fuzzy and they are fair difficult to remember. Gina thanked her lucky stars that her audience wasn't particularly observant at the best of times.

[Gavin Bates]

Gavin really didn't like inane, unanswerable questions at stupid hours in the morning when his head wasn't working, and he wasn't going to dignify it with an answer. How much did they drink? How was he supposed to know? It wasn't like he'd kept a tally of every pint he had, and considering the fact he didn't even remember Apple being there (not that he remembered much of his time there anyway), he definitely didn't know how much she had. He shrugged and pushed himself up and forward a bit, trying to keep his head straight and keep the meagre contents of his stomach actually in his stomach. It was times like these that he considered abstaining from alcohol, but it would only be for a couple of hours and then he'd be happily off down the pub again.

Gavin batted a hand behind him, aiming for her leg and missing, thwapping the rock they had slept on instead and groaned a little. He moved his head to rest it in his hands and rubbed at his eyes a little. It was entirely possible that the alcohol was affecting his judgement – maybe going near water was a bad idea, he might fall asleep and drown in it or something. He shook his head and looked back at Apple, as she grimaced. ”Don't push it,” he huffed, unamused by her teasing, and he started to scowl a little bit.

Gavin didn't notice if Regina was playing it up a bit too much, overly focused on his own headache and inability to see things straight, and instead stood himself up, finding the world swaying a little bit and his balance not so great. In fact, the altitude of his normal height was making his head worse. Who the hell said fresh air was good for hangovers? It made everything worse! If Gavin ever found that man, he'd have to slice him open, just to take a little bit of revenge. He gestured for Regina to lead the way. ”After you, Apple.”

As they started off, Gavin scrutinised Apple a little bit. It was bugging him – he almost always remembered Apple going to the local with them because it just didn't happen that often. Was he losing the plot or something? ”What made you come with to the pub, eh?” he asked, attempting to be subtle but failing miserably.

[Regina Apple]

Grouchy Gavin was amusing Gina. She just knew that he was having difficulty placing her in the pub last night - yet here she was 'hungover'. She actually had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing when he missed her. "I think you're losing your touch Gavin." She teased, even though he'd just told her to not push it. Gina would always push it, as long as she lived. She lived to push everything to their limits.

When Gavin swayed on the spot, Regina considered going to his side and steadying him. But that'd confuse him even more, and he may twig onto the fact that she wasn't actually hungover. So instead, she too swayed on the spot, partly becuase she'd actually almost gone and partly to act hungover. She tried to inconspicuously copy his actions, so this is what a hangover looked like. When he wasn't looking, she messed herself up a little more; she was immaculate compared to him.

"After you, Apple." So she back to being Apple. He'd called her Gina last night. She wanted to go into a grump of her own and mope about a bit, but she was supposed to be leading the way after all. She grabbed her blanket and wrapped it round her shoulders. The sun was bright and she felt nought but sorry for Gavin whenever they passed through the light. It must be antagonising his headache no end, light always affected her headache when she had them. And it wouldn't be nice on his eyes either.

She had no idea Gavin's eyes were on her as they walked. She was too busy pretending to be stumbling upon the river. She knew exactly where it was, but she reasoned that in her 'state' the location would be a bit hazey. It was a good thing she did know where she was going, because Gavin's question surprised her. She stopped and waited for him to catch up. When he was beside her she answered, "I got bored of being on my bill. I knew where you'd be, so I went." The butterflies in her stomach were flapping about, making Gina glad that there was nothing in there to actually throw up. "Why'd you ask?" Risky question, but oh well.