Chapter 20: Deep Dive

Amanda’s diary:

Dear diary,

I woke up confused. In the dark, something soft and warm was pressing on my face. The smell reminded me I was lying head to toe with Fiona.

Sleep hadn’t been easy. Fiona’s soft feet and their pungent stench kept impinging on my awareness. At first it was mostly excitement. Later, the realisation of my humble place set in, and my mind kept going over the arguments. In the end, it was just my body’s awkward position, curled under the sheets, and my head, lying without a pillow at the mercy of Fiona’s unconscious kicks when she tossed and turned.

There had been dreams, but they evaporated from memory almost as soon as I woke up. The only thing I could tell was they hadn’t been pleasant. Still, it wasn’t as bad as my nightmares sometimes got.

I couldn’t tell the time. Fiona’s breath was slow, and she wasn’t moving, other than a slight shift now and then. All I wanted was to call her name and ask her if she was awake, but I was reluctant to bother her if she wasn’t. Battling my impatience, I closed my eyes and tried to wait her out.

“Morning, Mandy,” she said, startling me. I had managed to fall back asleep after all. “Had a pleasant night?”

I groaned a little, and felt her firmly rub her soles against my face as she giggled.

“Hmm? Had a pleasant night at my feet, toy?”

I tried to move, and noticed my neck was sore.

“Not so fast,” she said. “Remember your kisses. Today you can start from below, where you belong, since you’re there anyway.”

A little warmth came to my cheeks from her words. Goodness, she could make me blush so easily. Her feet were still very close, so I barely had to shift to press my lips against each of her soles, as I recited the litany of her service in my head, feeling a small quiver of excitement. I made my way out of the sheets, and gave her hands their kisses. Finally, I reached her forehead.

“Oy, you smell,” she said, chuckling. “Go on then, don’t make me put up with it longer than I have to!”

I sighed, kissed her forehead, and felt her grab me from behind. She flipped me over, pressing my front against the bed, and as my neck turned, I hissed from pain.

“Amanda? Are you alright?”

“My neck hurts some,” I said.

“Silly girl. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well, I didn’t want to bother you. I thought--”

“Wrong!” She slapped my cheek. It wasn’t too hard, but it was more than a token tap. “Whose are you?”

“Yours.” I hesitated. “Yours, Miss.” She didn’t correct me this time.

“Ever seen me neglecting my property, failing to take care of my things?”

“No.”

She sighed.

“Now you belong to me. You can’t treat yourself like you still don’t matter, got it?”

I tried to nod, but my neck made me hiss again.

“Stupid girl.”

She placed my head on her pillow, stretched my body, and spread my arms. I felt her get up and heard her look for something in her drawers.

Her words were making me confused again. It hurt a bit to be called stupid, even if I knew I wasn’t, not really. Still, I was worth something now that I was hers. That was good, right?

I felt her sit on my butt, heard a rubbing noise, and a second later her hands were massaging my neck and shoulders, making me groan as she worked a sharp-smelling substance on my skin.

“Stupid girl,” she said, and this time her tone was soft and gentle, almost bringing tears to my eyes. Her fingers kneaded my sore muscles, giving me goose bumps and getting me to relax.

It took me a few seconds to be able to put words together. Her touch was so entrancing, I forgot to breathe. After a while, my body needed air, and I dared to move a little, fearing her magic hands would stop, putting an end to my rapture.

“Goodness, I’d no idea you could do that,” I said.

“Hush, little one.” She stopped moving her fingers, giving me a chance to breathe again without distracting myself from those wonderful sensations. “All of us on the track team can. There’s always someone who needs it.”

I made a little noise of agreement, too lazy to form words. Behind me, I heard a liquid sound, and then I felt her spread more of that stuff all over my back as she used her palms, leaning her entire weight on them. No-one had ever given me a massage, and it was the best thing in the world. Sex was more intense, but this was the sort of thing that could last forever.

“Better now?” she said. She held my head and turned it around, very slowly, but firmly.

“Much better,” I said. “Only a little twinge of discomfort.”

“Probably will be gone soon. Tell me how your night was.”

That was a hard question. What should I tell her about? The excitement, the confusing thoughts, the acceptance of my place, or just the physical difficulties?

“Hmm, do you like having your back scratched?” she said.

“Uh, I don’t know.”

She dried her hands on a tissue and ran her nails all the way down my spine, from neck to lower back. My goose bumps and moaning were a definite yes.

“Seems you do.”

I sighed, and answered her questions as best I could.

“There you are. Time to move on.” She stood up and patted my naked butt.

I yawned and stretched for a bit, and got off the bed. Slippers in hand, I knelt on the floor as she sat. Her feet stretched towards me, almost touching my face, and I put them on for her, kissing their toes afterwards. I felt the beginning of a blush. It would take me time to get used to doing these little tasks without getting flustered. At the same time, as I looked up to Fiona’s satisfied smile, I felt a twinge of desire, knowing I had pleased her.

“Good girl,” she said, gesturing for me to stand up.

I hesitated.

“Um, I wonder if...” I wasn’t sure how to ask. “I’m yours, right? You want me to ... to ... obey you.” The word didn’t come easy, though that was what I’d been doing since the first day we met.

Fiona nodded, still smiling.

“So, can I ... touch you ... start things with you, or do I have to wait--” I said.

She patted my head. “Just be yourself. Sometimes I’ll want you to stay still, but I’ll tell you so. Trust me to give you the instructions you need, little one.”

I got off the floor, clumsy and self-conscious, walked closer to her, and sat on her lap, hugging her with one arm, while my other played over her skin. Her laughter made me smile, too, as I bowed my head and gave little kisses all over her chest.

“Yes, I like that,” she said. “Of course you’re allowed to be affectionate with me, my little Mandy.”

“I adore you, Miss.” My lips engulfed her nipple and I began to suck.

Fiona hissed and gasped. One of her hands held me close, while the fingers of the other twined in my hair, playing and lightly pulling. She moved her legs a little, finding a more comfortable position, and pressed my face against her breast.

“You do, my sweet treasure, my obedient pet. You adore your mistress.” She moaned, responding to my tongue’s playful licks. “That’s very nice.”

I tried to move my head back, and heard her quietly chuckle as she kept me pinned.

“Not yet,” she said. “Go on.”

A quiver went through my body. It felt so good to be under her control like this. I went on licking and kissing her breast, and she pulled harder and harder on my hair, making me squirm and whine. My other hand found its way to my belly, and she released me for a moment to slap it away.

“No,” she said. “Focus on what you’re doing; on pleasing me.”

I whimpered, but continued until she moved my mouth to her other breast, giving it the same attentions. When she’d had enough, she let go of my head, and I tilted it up, trying to kiss her.

To my surprise, she laughed.

“I’m not letting you kiss me in the mouth like that, Mandy,” she said. “Not after you spent your night with my sweaty feet on your lips.”

I blushed, embarrassed and humiliated by her rejection, and looked down.

“Goodness. You’re so easy.” Her laughter made her whole body shake, and I with her. “It’s not the end of the world. Let’s go and wash ourselves.” She patted my head and slowly stood up, giving me time to get off her lap.

She had a point. I’d slept with my face stuck to her smelly soles. Of course she wouldn’t subject herself to that, but that sharp reminder of my place was another step in accepting my inferiority. It seemed unfair at first, but it didn’t take long for my indignation to become excitement as I understood how far beneath Fiona I really was. Oddly, it felt just right. After so much denial and inner conflict, there was something peaceful about coming to terms with my own nature, and the way I yearned for a firm hand.

After I was all clean, I stood on tiptoe and tried kissing her again. This time she had no objections, though she held me up and pressed me against her body as she probed my mouth. My limbs went wobbly from it all, and she gently placed me back on the floor.

“Breakfast now, my sweet,” she said, and gave me a little peck on the top of my head.

I found it hard to keep myself from squealing with pleasure, or skipping, or doing other undignified, childish things. There had been something broken about me for a long time, making me uncomfortable and unsatisfied, but it was as if Fiona had scattered all the pieces I was made of, and put me back together again the right way ‘round. It was a sudden shift, like a click, releasing all that tension, and letting me be who I needed to.

I went to the kitchen and she followed. While I cooked, she played around with the sound system, looking for the right music.

“Should I make something for your parents, too?” I said.

“Not until they show up,” she said. “Can’t tell what they might want. Make a large teapot of Irish Breakfast though. We’re all happy to have that.”

I put the kettle on, and she finally settled on something. I was expecting more of the traditional Celtic music, but it was classical piano.

“What’s that?” I said.

“Sibelius.”

I nodded, though I had only known him for his orchestral works.

“I like looking at you while you do this,” she said.

Her words made me self-conscious, and I dropped a fork on the counter. Fiona laughed.

“Silly girl,” she said.

I blushed. “What’s so interesting about me cooking?”

“Well, first off, you’re a cute, pretty little thing.”

I sighed and tried to glare at Fiona, who of course ignored it.

“Second,” she continued, “it’s obvious you know what you’re doing. You move with grace and confidence, and I enjoy that.”

That was a bit of a surprise, but if she said so...

“Except when certain people make me all flustered!”

She laughed again.

“And third?” I said.

“What makes you think there’s a third?”

“Um, not sure. I just--”

“Third,” she said, “it pleases me to make you do things for me. It’s great to have a little minion to boss about.”

I hesitated a moment. “I ... I like doing things for you. I like ... serving you.”

She nodded, smiling. Seeing her fond expression was enough to give me a little thrill. I was a good girl. An obedient girl. That was what she meant, what she was praising me for. It was both arousing and embarrassing.

“Would you be happy just with this?” she said. “Being my maid, I mean. Cooking, cleaning, picking after me...”

I didn’t know what to say. Would I? For a moment, I imagined what it would be like, and my body quivered at those fantasies. Still, there was more to me than that, or so I thought.

“Uh.” I gulped, my mouth dry. “I don’t think so. I feel there are other things I need to do, you know? I definitely want to please you. Every time you smile at me like that...” I shuddered, feeling vulnerable. “I do want to do all those things for you, but I can’t give up everything else. Especially not the maths.”

“Good, an honest answer, and a reasonable one.” She giggled. “We’ll have to find a way you can fit your proofs around doing my laundry. Maybe the smell of my dirty socks will inspire you.”

I took a heavy breath. All that talk of service was getting me excited, and I knew just how potent Fiona’s scents could be.

Aideen and Oisin came in, and my cheeks turn red.

“Morning, Fiona,” Aideen said. “Morning, Amanda. Were you doing something you shouldn’t?”

“Only having naughty thoughts,” Fiona said, answering for me.

Oisin chuckled. “We’ll have to train you out of that reaction, or you’ll be blushing constantly.”

“Yeah, ok,” I said. “Breakfast anyone?”

They all laughed at my unsubtle attempt to change the topic.

I got busy with Fiona’s parents’ food while they joined her at the table and chatted. It wasn’t easy for me to have hot food for breakfast, though I could get through toast or a croissant every now and then. Today I had cereal, as usual, and it didn’t need to be eaten right away, so it made more sense for me to take care of their cooking; though I knew deep down I would end up doing it no matter what. I didn’t mind.

I was the sort of person who focused on one thing and didn’t pay attention to anything else going on around her, but Aideen’s mention of my name cut through my absorption.

“How’s Amanda doing?” she said. “Got her all she needs? Did you both have fun downstairs yesterday?”

Oh, gods; she knew ... well, she knew everything.

“She’s fine,” Fiona said. “Nothing more she needs for now, other than training, I hope.” Aideen chuckled. “As to yesterday, did we have fun, little one?”

“Please,” I said softly, refusing to look at them.

“Seems like you have her well in hand,” Aideen said. “I can’t complain about her willingness to help around the house, though I didn’t expect to get a maid out of her.”

“She has to learn her place,” Fiona said. “Isn’t that right, Mandy?”

I mumbled a quiet yes.

“Speak up,” Fiona said. “You’re here to serve, aren’t you?”

Goodness. I blushed.

“I am ... if ... if you want me to,” I said.

Food was ready, so I placed it on the table and sat down. Aideen looked at Fiona, and then at me, with a smirk.

“Make another teapot, then,” she said. “This one’s not going to be enough.”

I obeyed and stood up again, my cereal still untouched, wondering why Aideen had decided to mess around with me.

As I was about to sit, Fiona asked me for another egg. I opened my mouth to complain. She could have told me earlier. Her face said it all, though. Her lips curled in amusement and she stared at me, daring me to object, or, perhaps, daring me to submit. It was another of her games, and she was toying with me in front of her parents.

After a moment’s dithering, I complied, and heard Aideen chuckle.

Fiona was in a playful mood. Whenever I was done, she would come up with something to keep me occupied. Aideen only did it that one time, but her amusement at my submission was obvious.

“If she’s a very good girl, she’ll get her collar soon,” Fiona said after demanding a glass of water. “We’ll be using the basement today, too.”

All I could do was follow her orders, and try to hide my signs of shame and excitement as best I could. Judging from Aideen’s little snorts I wasn’t doing much of a job of it, but then Oisin seemed completely out of the loop.

“Are you sure you want to go that way with her?” he said. “All your previous ... pets have been temporary. How long do you mean to keep her?”

His words hit me hard. I placed Fiona’s glass in front of her and quickly turned away so she wouldn’t see my distress. Was I just a momentary amusement? Of course, it was too much to hope that I meant anything to her; but then she’d spent so much time and care on me. Money, too, though maybe that didn’t make any difference to her at all.

With nothing left to do, I started clearing the kitchen counter and loading the dishwasher. Anything to keep my hands busy, and my mind from fretting.

“Don’t ever say that about Amanda,” Aideen said.

“Why?” he said.

“Because it’s unkind,” Fiona said. “Come here, Mandy.”

She didn’t say it wasn’t true. I laid down the bowl I was holding, and trudged back to her, avoiding her gaze.

She patted her lap. “Sit.”

While I hesitated, she grabbed me and firmly sat me down sideways on her lap. She held me with one arm, and placed my bowl of soggy cereal close to us with the other.

“Open your mouth,” she said. I did, and she used my spoon to feed me. When I finished chewing, I opened my mouth to object. “Quiet.” She put another spoonful in, and I went on eating.

It was quite an awkward thing to be treated like a dependent child, but I was too afraid to contradict her after Oisin’s words.

“Amanda’s very insecure,” she said, looking at her father. Her hand kept scooping cereal for me while she talked. “I love her, but it’s going to take time for her to rely on it: to trust me to be true to her, and herself to deserve it.”

“I see,” he said.

“No, you don’t. It’s upsetting for her to have her standing questioned like that. She is absolutely not temporary.”

“I’m sorry. It was just an observation for you to consider.”

“You will not upset my girl.” Her tone went harsh, and she held me tighter.

If she made such a fuss about me to her father, I had to matter, at least a little bit.

“It’s fine,” I said. “I feel a lot better now.”

The cereal was gone, and I tried to wriggle out of her lap, but she didn’t let me. In truth, it was comforting to be held that way.

“How long will it take you to make dinner tonight?” she said. Now both her hands were stroking me, getting dangerously close to my breasts.

“Um, about, maybe an hour and a half?” I said.

“Nice,” she said with a smirk. “That leaves us plenty of time to play, or should I say, for me to play, and you to be my toy?”

I turned my blushing face towards her and she pressed her mouth on mine, kissing me roughly.

“Seeing these two, I’m getting urges,” Aideen said.

“Shall we act on them?” Oisin said.

“You, too?”

Both stood up and walked away hand-in-hand.

“Have fun, kids,” Aideen said. “I know we will.”

“Smell my feet.”

I lay down naked, on my back, with my arms and legs stretched, tied to the corners of a hard, wooden pallet. Fiona sat on my belly, and her bare toes brushed over my chin and lips, until they cupped my nose, the balls of their feet pressing against my cheeks.

Even before Aideen had finished closing the kitchen door, Fiona had grabbed me by the hair and waist and whispered in my ear. “Play time.”

I’d made a few noises about finishing the washing up, but I was quivering and melting at her rough handling, and she only laughed.

That was how I ended up here, helplessly bound and naked, just how she wanted me. How she ended up sitting atop me, using her feet to play with my face.

“Come on, Mandy.” She giggled. “Are you getting shy all of a sudden? Give us a nice, big sniff.”

I took in air through my nose as she tweaked it and rubbed it with her toes. The smell was familiar by now, but there was always something intriguing about it.

“Another,” she said, patting my cheek with one of her soles. Her bare skin was soft and sticky against my face.

She held my gaze as I let another breath in. The scent of her toes kept me enthralled, and I couldn’t help moaning as I released the air through my mouth. The shame of it brought a blush to my face, and made me shiver beneath her weight.

“Good girl,” she said. “Aww, are you embarrassed about how much you want this?” She laughed. “Ask me for more.”

She moved her feet back, sliding her toes over my lips and resting them over my chin. I took a deep breath, hoping to get more of her smell, but there was only a faint trace of it from that distance. She chortled at my eagerness.

I whined, shy and anxious.

“Do it,” she said.

“May I ... May I, please, have more of your feet, Miss?” I said.

“Kiss.” Her toes tapped my lips.

I pressed my mouth against them and heard inside me: I serve Fiona’s will. Every time I did it, the words came unbidden to my head. I squirmed, as a drop leaked out of my pussy, uselessly trying to close my legs.

“Really, Mandy, is that how we kiss?” She tapped my lips again.

Her eyes were fixed on mine. I opened my mouth, let out my tongue, and let it touch her toe pads. My breath was short and fast. My heart pumped, afraid of disgusting her. Her smirk became a relaxed, pleased smile, and I shuddered as she pushed her toes into my mouth, placing them on my tongue, wordlessly commanding me to suck them.

My desire was too strong for my silly worries, and I started slobbering on her feet like a dog, sucking and swallowing a mixture of her sweat and my saliva, feeling my mouth fil with her sharp, salty flavour. It was noisy and messy. She kept toying with me, making me stretch out my tongue to seek her, or shoving her foot deep in, to the point of gagging.

At first she chuckled as she observed my abasement, but it didn’t take her long to begin to moan, rubbing herself on my belly, leaking on me.

“Lick between my toes, slave,” she said, panting. Her hands began to play on her breasts and pussy.

Slave was not like pet. Not warm. It was degrading, and delicious.

She shoved her foot a little further in, and I felt her spread her toes against my tongue. I began to lap up in between them, tasting the sharpness of her concentrated sweat, slurping her foot dirt. With her other foot, she stroked my cheek. I felt hot flushes of arousal go through my body, and couldn’t stop blushing as I saw the pleasure on her face.

“Eat my foot filth, toy. You’re nothing but my pathetic toe sucker. Only a piece of property for me to use.” Every sentence her voice got louder, coming out in between deeper breaths and restrained moans as she shivered. “Submit to your mistress!”

Her humiliating words turned my whole body on fire. My entire mouth was devoted to her service, with my lips, teeth and tongue scrubbing and sucking the slimy gunge off her foot, and swallowing it all. My belly quivered, and my pussy ached to be touched.

“Please, Miss ... t-touch me?” I said, with a mouth full of foot, slurring my request.

“You want that, little one?” she said, gritting her teeth as she kept playing with herself. “You think you deserve it?” She moved her foot back a little.

I whimpered. “Please, please, Miss.”

“You think your pleasure matters? You expect me to care about your silly whims?” She tapped my cheek with her big toe as she spoke.

“Miss, you ... you decide. It’s for you to say if I deserve it. I know I’m ... n-nothing, Miss; but please, I’ll be a good girl...”

She stopped playing with herself and smiled deviously.

“I’ll touch you, if you do just as you’re told first. Precisely, mind. A single refusal, and you get nothing.”

“I’ll do anything, Miss.” I nodded, and she laughed as my head movements pushed my face against her toes.

“We’ll see about that.”

She shifted up, and shove her fingers, sticky from her pussy, into my mouth.

“Like that?” she said. “You better, because you’re going to get it from the source.”

She moved further up, until she was kneeling on my face. Her hands grabbed my hair and she pulled my head up, shoving me against her pussy. A little giggle came from her as my nose nudged her, followed by a moan.

“Amanda,” she said, looking down on me, “I want to ride your face, use you like a sex toy, and have you suck me until I come all over you.” Her whole body trembled above me with impatience. “Tell me you want it.”

“I want it, Miss. Fuck your little toy’s face. Use me. Let your ... your little Mandy please you.” I spoke between gasps, unable to contain my excitement.

With a hard tug on my hair, she placed herself so my mouth fit under her entrance, and my nose rubbed against her clit. I gave a muffled yell as she kept pulling rhythmically, forcing the tip of my nose between her lips. Her scent made me so aroused, but I could only wriggle under her, trapped by my bonds. Her thighs pressed on my ears, dimming her moans to nothing.

Drops from her juices kept falling on my face, some covering my chin and lips, and some going into my mouth.

I dared to stick out my tongue, and began to taste her entrance. The flavour drove me crazy, and I did my best to push it in. she clenched, making it hard for me to go inside her. She was strong even there.

Through my own shivers and the overload of my senses as I smelled, licked, and rubbed against her under her firm control, I could feel and hear her move and shout indistinct words I couldn’t understand.

I went on sucking. Her juices increased, making it hard to breathe sometimes. She kept pushing against my nose, and I could only take air when she would let me.

Her movements slowed, though she kept dripping come on my face. My sculp hurt from her rough use. I whimpered, but all I could look at was her slim, toned belly.

At last she let go of my hair and opened her legs a bit, letting sound in.

“Clean me,” she said. “Suck all my juices.”

Her tone felt cold, with no gratitude in it, but I could hear the faintest tremor in her voice. Of course, I didn’t hesitate to obey, and I licked her all around. She even let my head down and shifted a little to let me reach her lips.

“Don’t.” She hissed as my tongue touched her clit. “Too sensitive.”

“Sorry.”

She slapped my face.

“Stupid girl.”

“S-so sorry, Miss.”

“Better learn fast.”

She lay on top of me, and, to my surprise, kissed me deeply, in spite of my whole face being covered in her own secretions.

“Well done,” she said as she broke the kiss. “You’re naive and clueless, but you’re obedient and willing to please.”

I whined, ashamed, even more because she was right, and a part of me liked hearing it.

Her hands stroked me everywhere, and she pressed her body against me.

“So, yesterday,” she said, “I wanted to show you what I like doing with my girlfriend. Today, if you like,” there was a slight hesitance in her voice, “I could go a bit further.”

“Hmm? Further how?”

After what she’d done to me in public, I wasn’t sure I was ready for more.

She lay her head on my shoulder and lightly blew in my ear, making me giggle. “Stop it!” I said.

“You remember Syl’s drawings?” Her lips brushed my earlobe as she spoke.

The image of Fiona lounging as I licked her feet on all fours came back to me, making me quiver.

“You do, my sweet little one.” Though I couldn’t see her face, I knew from her tone she was smiling.

“Uh, I don’t think I’ll be forgetting those any time soon.”

She giggled, and nibbled on my earlobe, staying so close to the edge between pleasure and pain I couldn’t tell them apart.

“Gods ... Fiona...”

“Do you want to be trained?” She bit, hard, and I gasped. “Want to be my pet? My obedient, submissive puppy? My devoted little foot girl?”

“Please...”

Her tongue went inside my ear, making me squirm. She stroked my cheek, holding me possessively.

“You do, don’t you, toy? You’ve been dreaming of it ever since. Such a pathetic, docile plaything...”

Every demeaning word she said to me made me feel small and helpless, and yet, she had a knack for making me feel insignificant, and still cherished.

“I’m n-not sure, Miss. I don’t know how ... how it would change things.”

I knew she wanted me to beg. I would have, aroused as I was, but I couldn’t avoid answering a direct question like that.

She cuddled me, kissed my cheek, and caressed my belly.

“You’re a gem, Mandy.” She played with my pubic hair, and run her fingers in a circle, making it hard not to react. “So desperate to please me.” She tugged, drawing a moan out of me, and giggled. “And yet ... you can’t help being honest. You won’t just say the words I want to hear, will you?” Her finger laid on my pussy lips, pressing ever so lightly.

Her teasing was making it hard to think straight.

“You t-told me ... you said ... n-never ... lie to you--”

She threw herself on top of me. Her mouth pressed against mine, and her tongue probed me, demanding and urgent. I lost my breath, feeling her weight atop my body, revelling on my own captivity. I was hers, for whatever she desired.

Her finger went inside me and her thumb brushed against my clit. Her breasts rubbed against me as she undulated above me.

“Darling girl, my beloved...” Her words were cut by gasping and panting. “I want to possess you ... to hold your bright soul between my hands ... to tread you down, like dirt beneath my feet...”

After all she had done to me, I was so close...

“Miss ... m-make me yours...” I shut my eyes, trying to hold myself from climax. “Going to c-come--”

“Come for me, slave! Surrender to your mistress!”

I writhed, reduced to mindless little whines. My body was a puddle of quivering flesh. My limbs uselessly fought against the bonds that tied them, and I shivered under Fiona’s comforting embrace, delighted to feel owned and loved in equal measure.