Friday, June 7, 2013

Little'cuz (m/m) - repost


Little’cuz

 

 

Tony had Aaron pressed up against the shower tiles, his 9.5 inch dick was slowly pumping into his little brother, and he gently bit on Aaron’s ear. Slow, long pumps, letting both of them savor the silky pleasure of being covered in lather, letting them both savor the steamy thrill of shower sex, and let them both enjoy yet another, seemingly endless, moment together.

 

Tony flicked his tongue in the folds of Aaron’s aural cavity, and then whispered into it. “I have a surprise for you, little’bro.” Aaron moaned in response. Tony’s dick was filling Aaron up completely, burying itself deeply in his stomach, and his own young dick was smashed against the wet shower tile, sliding back and forth as it ached for its own release. Tony moved down to suck strongly on Aaron’s neck, creating a large hickey before continuing.

 

“Cousin Gage is coming by tomorrow. I think he’s going to be here with you while I’m away at Boston U.” All Aaron could do was moan again. Tony sucked on his little brother’s ear, then leaned back to pump himself to completion. He stabilized himself by holding Aaron’s shoulders and really fucked the hell out of the kid. Aaron actually came first, his younger erection smearing jizz all over the wall, while Tony pounded away until he released a blood-hot load of cum into Aaron, which resulted in yet a third groan of pleasure. ‘How can Tony ever think of leaving me?’ thought the young teen.

 

Later, as they lay in bed, Tony finished his announcement. “Gage is a great dude. Taught me almost everything I know about sex. Fucking hot as hell, fucks more girls than I ever have, and can take care of little dudes like you.” Tony gently brushed Aaron’s hair, and kissed his forehead.

 

“I don’t want you to leave, Tony,” said Aaron softly, his face resting on his big brother’s shoulder, and his nose inhaling Tony’s masculine scent.

 

“Don’t worry, little’bro. I’ll be back at holidays, and we’ll have plenty of fun then. Every time I bang a chick at college, I’ll imagine you’re there, sucking on my balls. Every person who gives me head, I’ll be imagining it’s your mouth wrapped around my cock. No dude will ever be better than my little’bro.”

 

Aaron looked up sleepily at Tony. “You mean it, Tony?”

 

Tony gently touched the Aaron’s top lip with his thumb and then softly parted them, sliding his thumb into Aaron’s mouth. Aaron let him, and met the thumb with his tongue, wrapping it around the digit. He sucked Tony’s thumb, eagerly.

         

 

“I do, little’bro. And whenever I come to visit, I’ll save up a weeks worth of jizz for you. You’ll see.” Then Tony leaned in to replace the thumb he had in Aaron’s mouth with his own tongue, and kissed his little brother for a good, long time. When they’d finished kissing, Tony gently flicked his tongue on the end of Aaron’s nose, which caused his little brother to giggle sleepily, and then Aaron fell asleep on Tony’s shoulder; one tight young body wrapped around a larger muscular one.

 

The boys woke up the next morning to their usual Saturday morning habit of laying together on the couch in nothing but white socks, and making out while watching cartoons. Before Tony had lost his balls, it also used to include some rough ball busting, but now they both had to make sure his Neuticles didn’t rupture – they were too expensive to replace regularly.

 

As they were laying there jerking each other slowly to “The Watchmen”, the phone rang. Tony used his free hand to pick up the receiver. “Gage! What’s up, dude? Yeah, we’re here. Sure, bring some brewskies. I miss that cock of yours big-time. Little’bro wants to see you too. Okay.”

 

Tony put down the handset. “He’ll be here in forty. I can’t wait for you to see him naked. He’s got a huge package.”

 

Aaron didn’t really know their cousin Gage very well. He’d seen him a few times, over the years, at family functions, but for some reason, he always disappeared half way through the event, and come to think of it, so had all the older boys. And some of the girls, too. It hadn’t ever seemed significant until now.

 

“Tony,” asked Aaron. “What did you mean about Gage teaching you?”

 

Tony smiled. “Ah, Well, Gage has been having sex with all the dudes in the family since I can remember. Gage, Barry, me and Chris used to go out the boat house at Aunt Patricia’s and suck and fuck for hours. I sucked down more cum of his than I did lemonade, during summer vacation. Everyone thought we were playing basketball or something. We even got Elisia to let us fuck her. Kinda cool to take your own cousin’s virginity. She had two dicks in her mouth, I was bangin’ her from behind, and Gage was underneath fucking her snatch. It was fuckin’ sweet!” Tony’s dick got even bigger and harder in Aaron’s hand, and started leaking precum furiously. Aaron skootched down so he could take in Tony’s dickhead and savored the sweet prejack oozing out.

 

“Oh yeah, little’bro. Uuhnngh. You’ve got the warmest mouth that’s ever sucked me off. Shit. Oh. Yeah! SUCK IT. FUCK!” Tony bucked his rigid pole into his little brother’s mouth, and out gushed a huge stream of jism that filled Aaron’s mouth and even dribbled down his chin. Aaron swallowed and swallowed. Ever since Tony had started taking hormones, his cum volume had increased dramatically, and it was sometimes all Aaron could to do keep from choking on the flood of sperm.

 

Tony then returned the favor and they both took shower to clean up for company. They’d just put on fresh socks and some boxers when the door rang. Tony went to open it. There was cousin Gage. He was as tall as Tony, with scraggly brown hair instead of blond. He had the same delicate, handsome jaw line and beautiful green eyes. He was wearing a black tee-shirt with a skull’n’roses design, skin-tight blue jeans and black Converse’s.

 

“Dude!” said Tony.

 

“’Bro!” said Gage.

 

They bumped fists and then hit each other’s shoulders.

 

“Great place you got here,” said Gage, looking around. Then he saw Aaron watching shyly from the corner. “You must be little Aaron.” Gage walked over to him.

 

“Give me some fist, little’cuz.” Gage had a charming, devilish smile, and the way Gage’s emerald eyes were looking right into his, made Aaron melt, a bit, inside. He imitated what Tony had done, and smiled shyly back.

 

Then, Gage turned to Tony, who had just closed the door. “Give me some tongue”. The two of them started macking, big time, running their hands all over each other’s bodies, and penetrating each other’s mouths with their tongues. Aaron just stood there and watched, a new boner poking out of the fly of his boxers.

 

Gage, meanwhile, reached down into Tony’s boxers to fondle what he sensed was waiting for him. Inside was Tony’s massive cock, and his two Neuticles, rolling around in their soft sack. “I want to see your fake balls, cuz,” said Gage, out loud.

 

“Sure thing.” As always, Tony was enthusiastic about showing off his equipment. He pulled off his underwear, sat down on the couch, and spread his legs for his cousin. “Have a suck, dude. They feel real.”

 

Gage knelt between Tony’s legs and ran his tongue all over Tony’s dick, sucking in the head just enough to squeeze out some prejack with his lips. He swirled his tongue around the head three times, counterclockwise, making Tony moan. Then Gage traced his tongue down to the fat balls that lay beneath it, and gently sucked the right one into his mouth. It really did feel real. It was heavy, dense, and perfectly shaped. He sucked for a while. But Gage was kinkier, by far, than Tony. He reached under Tony’s knees with his hands, lifted the two legs into the air, and pulled Tony so that Tony’s ass was open for servicing.

 

To Aaron’s astonishment, Gage plunged his tongue into Tony’s hole, no holds barred. He rammed is tongue as far as he could into Tony’s puckered purse, flicking it in and out. Now Tony was just making one long moan in pleasure. No one rimmed like Aaron. After several minutes of this, Aaron came up for air.

 

“I’ve missed you, cuz.” Gage had a big smile on his face and kissed Tony so he could taste himself. It was then that Gage turned to Aaron.

 

“So I hear Tony’s been seeing a lot of you. All of you. Why don’t you show me what you’ve got, little’cuz.” Gage skooteched over to Aaron, on his knees, and gently pulled down Aaron’s boxers, letting his rigid bone bounce free. Gage expertly stroked it while he assessed Aaron’s package.

 

“Yours is shaped like Uncle Jim’s. And your balls look like cousin Chris’s. He could shoot half way across the room. How about we see if you can too?”

 

“Oooohhkay,” mumbled Aaron. Even if Gage was family, he was almost a complete stranger.

 

Gage smiled, stood up, picked up Aaron completely, and set him down on the couch next to Tony (who was watching and stroking himself). Then, he sucked in Aaron’s cock whole. Gage’s mouth felt like a Hoover. It pistoned up and down until Aaron was almost out of his mind in pleasure, clutching at the cushions to keep himself steady. Gage was strong!

 

It wasn’t too long before Aaron was about to burst, and somehow Gage knew it, because he lifted his head, replaced his hand for his mouth, and jacked Aaron off to a second orgasm for the day. Appropriately, Aaron’s spunk shot up behind him, over his head, and splattered on the wall. Gage was impressed,

 

“I’m gonna like sucking you, little’cuz. You’ve got potential.” Aaron’s chest was heaving, his muscular, young body sweaty from his orgasm. He opened his eyes and noticed the huge lump in Gage’s pants.

 

“Want to see my lovetackle, little’cuz?” Gage had a shrewd smile on his face.

 

“OK.” Said Aaron, tentatively.

 

“Fuck yeah!” said Tony, who stopped playing with himself, to help Gage undress. Down came the jeans, off came the shirt, and in a moment, off came Gage’s extremely tight underwear. He stood naked in front of them, letting them gaze at his junk. One HUGE erect penis, not only 10.5 inches long, but also extremely thick, and two lemon sized nuts hanging free beneath it. They looked like Turkey eggs. Aaron was overwhelmed. He didn’t even know what to do with them. But Tony did. He grabbed Gage’s hips, pulling his cousin close, and then sucked in that giant dick. He almost got it halfway down. Aaron could actually see the outline of Gage’s dickhead as it ballooned in Tony’s cheeks and then slid down his throat. Tony sucked the huge dick like a champion. Then, Tony motioned Aaron over.

 

Aaron slid over. Tony pushed Aaron’s head underneath his, and pressed one of Gage’s big nuts against his lips. Aaron opened his mouth as wide as he could and ate it. The thing filled his whole mouth, but he sucked anyways.

 

“Ooohhh, yeahhhh. Mmmm. That’s like I remember. Make me cum, Tony. Suck that nut harder, little’cuz.” Gage was letting them service him, and he loved it. Apparently he loved nut pain, too, because he grasped the top of Aaron’s head and told him to suck and bite his ball. Aaron did his best. He sucked and chewed it as much as he could, though the slippery thing just popped around in his mouth.

 

“FUCK! My nut. Oh yeah. SUCK IT, shit that’s good . . .” Instead of cumming in Tony’s mouth, Gage pulled out his slobbered member and let his jizz explode onto Tony’s face. Aaron kept sucking on his chosen ball while Gage stroked out ever last drop of sperm. Tony just let him, licking his lips as semen dribbled down to his mouth. Gage immediately licked it off Tony’s face and then kissed Tony deeply, both savoring the taste of his spunk.

 

Coming up for a quick breath of air, Gage looked at Aaron and said, “Good job little’cuz. You suck nuts like a champ.” Aaron smiled up at his handsome cousin. And thus began a month of Gage coming over, usually spending the night, and the three of them engaging in sucking, fucking and group showers. Aaron got used to falling asleep between the two older boys, snuggled warm and naked, his smooth flesh pressed against theirs.

 

On the last night before Tony went away to college, it was just him and Aaron. Tony had planned a special evening. They’d gone to a local Italian restaurant and filled up on pasta and pizza. Then they swung by a video store where Tony picked up some good pornos. Back at home the two of them watched, grinding their crotches and necking. But the main event happened afterwards, in bed.  Tony was inside Aaron, dick buried Neuticles deep in his little’bro, and Aaron’s legs were wrapped tightly around Tony’s waste. Tony was kissing his little’bro deeply and sliding his penis in and out, slowly but thoroughly, hitting it from slightly different angles to stimulate his young lover’s prostate.

 

With his mouth next to Aaron’s ear, Tony flicked it a few times with his tongue and then whispered into it.

 

“I’ll miss you every day, little’bro. You’re my favorite little dude in the whole world.” Then he kissed Aaron. Back to the ear, as he kept thrusting. Tony hummed as he sang softly,

 

“I don’t want another pretty face, I don’t want just anyone to hold, I don’t want my love to go to waste, I want you and your beau-ti-ful.”

 

Aaron giggle slightly. Tony blew lightly into the ear and continued to hum,

 

“You’re the one I want to chase, you’re the one I want to hold, I won’t let another minute go to waste, I want you and your beautiful soul . . .” Tony plunged his tongue into Aaron’s mouth, who swallowed it, sucking for dear life and the two of them truly had a night to remember.

 

Moving day came and went. Tony was at school and Gage had moved into take care of little (but growing) Aaron. The first night they were alone together they didn’t have sex, they just watched TV together and in bed Gage had Aaron lie naked on the bed while giving him a warm massage, something Aaron had never experienced before. Gage dripped on warm lavender oil and smoothed it into the teen’s clear skin. It was amazing and sensual. Later, as they lay together they talked,

 

“You OK, little’cuz? You’ve been quiet all night.” Gage stroked Aaron’s hair as he held him.

 

“Yeah, I guess so. I just miss Tony. You know.” He buried his nose in the Gage’s neck and clung to him.

 

“I know. Hey, how’bout you and me go bungee jumping tomorrow?”

 

Aaron was shocked and looked up at his older cousin. “For reals?”

 

“Absolutely. We’ll drive out to the canyon and jump off the bridge.”

 

“COOOOOL. Wow. Tony never took me bungee jumping.” Aaron quickly learned that Tony wasn’t really anything like Gage. Gage liked to do things, go places. In one week they went kayaking, snowboarding, hiking and rock climbing. Out in the open they slept together, naked in a cozy pup-tent, wrapped in a two-person sleeping bag, and despite himself Aaron warmed up to Gage, both sexually and emotionally. His dick was bigger, his balls heavier and his tongue like a ghost-devil, flicking here, flicking there, diving into Aaron’s hole and making the teen moan. When Aaron got fucked by Gage’s enormous dick, he sometimes wailed like a banshee. But in a good way, of course.

 

It also became apparent that Gage liked to skateboard, and he taught Aaron everything he knew – Ollie’s, Kickflips, Kickturns, and of course . . . Grinds. Those were toughest, because they were both dangerous and difficult. Gage could Grind on just about anything – railings, curbs, park benches, anything. But Aaron, well he kept falling. Gage would patch him up and then they’d try again. At one point, while trying to Grind a low wall Aaron pitched forwards and landed right on his nuts. It knocked the wind right out of him. Gage couldn’t stop laughing. When they got home Gage had his little sidekick undress and then gently sucked on the sore nuts. He swallowed them and pulled a little. Then he worked his way up and down Aaron’s bouncing cock and sucked it in whole. After about five minutes of a mind-blowing blowjob, Aaron’s aching nuts tightened and a load of juicy hot cum poured down Gage’s throat.

 

“I don’t know how Tony did it,” said Aaron in the afterglow. “How did he take all that nut punishment?”

 

Gage was licking his lips. “Ah, he’s tougher than he looks. But you’re not going to make it in sports if you can’t toughen your oysters up. I know. How about we both work to get tough. I’ll give your nuts some punishment and then you can give mine some too?”

 

The thought of getting nutted scared Aaron a little, but his cousin was right, he’d never make it in wrestling if he couldn’t hold his own with nut-pain. And so it was agreed. They started to tag each other daily, in bed, in the shower, at the dinner table. The first stage was to conquer the flinch reaction. The second stage was to endure prolonged busting. In a few months Aaron could take slaps, squeezes and some light knees to the groin, whereas Gage could endure full on kicks, punches and some serious biting. Gage was naturally gentler to his little’cuz than the reverse. He didn’t want to cause any serious damage, but Aaron went full on, just as he had with Tony.

 

They still went on excursions, and it was an extra game to punch or kick each other when doing dangerous or scary things, adding zest to already zesty life. One time, for example, they were hiking on a high trail. Gage stood on the edge of a cliff, pulled his hiking shorts off, and spread his legs, letting his supple balls swing naked in the sunlight. Then, Aaron kicked them repeatedly. If Gage had fallen over backwards he would have been dashed to pieces below, but that was the fun of it! Another time they were skinny dipping in a lake and they squeezed each other’s nuts to see who could hold their breath and endure the pain the longest.

 

On a skiing trip they sat in the same lift and punched each other’s nuts all the way up the hill. Then, Aaron dared his big cousin to ski crotch first into a sign pole. Gage agreed in a microsecond. He skootched up the hill, hunched over and slalomed down, opening up his body at the last moment to drive his crotch straight into the metal pole. It was awesome. Later, back at the lodge they lay together naked on a bear skin rug and Aaron sucked those bruised balls, making Gage moan.

 

“Oh, yeah, little’cuz. Suck those balls. Ahhhh.” Gage pulled Aaron’s head up to his dick and the teen swallowed as much of it as he could. The big head filled his mouth, then his throat, and he almost gagged. It was huge. He pumped the rest of it with his fist and he was able to get Gage to blow a heavy load which somehow complimented the taste of the salmon they’d just eaten from room service. As Gage lay there, panting, Aaron slid up his chest, nestled himself between the open legs, and then jammed his own straight into Gage’s spent balls. Gage started to laugh. “You just don’t get enough, do you little’cuz.” He pulled Aaron into a kiss and then indicated with his body language that the kid could continue. Aaron took the hint and kneed those fat balls about ten times. Sometimes a sharp snap, other times more of a grind. Gage fucked the hell out Aaron that night, his balls swollen and eager for more release. Several releases, as it turned out.

 

On another occasion they were out boating, just the two of them. Gage got the idea for them both to stand on the railing, naked but with cans of water hanging from their scrotums, and each taking swats at the other. Both teetered on the edge as they tried to smack the other’s sack as hard as they could. Gage finally did a smack and squeeze which tipped the balance and Aaron went backwards into the water. They both laughed and to be a good sport, Gage jumped in with him.

 

At one point they went hangliding. They launched off a high plateau and landed in a wooded glen next to a lake. They ate a light lunch of cheese and bread, admiring the scenery. Gage suggested that since no one was around they strip and play nut-tag. They got naked as quickly as they could and Gage chased Aaron around, laughing, and tackled the boy, split open his legs and backhanded the balls dangling there several times, but Aaron’s nuts were getting tougher and he wriggled free. He pushed Gage onto his back and sat on his chest, facing Gage’s groin. Gage didn’t struggle too much. Aaron spread Gage’s legs, grabbed his ballbag and squeezed the glands to the bottom of their pouch. Making it a secure package he first tapped it teasingly and then he started seriously pounding it. The huge gonads bulged in his hand and he felt Gage’s dick begin to swell against his forearm. It took a dozen or so hits before the older boy forced Aaron off. Aaron loped away and watched his cousin struggle to get up, but Gage finally did and resumed his chase of Aaron, cock waiving back and forth as he ran.

 

Aaron finally stopped and spun around letting Gage grapple him. They tussled, each trying to force the other to the ground. Although he was somewhat smaller, Aaron put up a good fight, and his own dick started to stand up from the sexy horse-play, seeing his cousin’s big package so close and exposed. Gage won and pinned Aaron down (still struggling but giggling, really) and forced his arms to the ground so he could lick the tip of his nose and then kiss him. Lightly at first, and then more and more deeply.

 

When he felt he’d suitably made a romantic impression on the lad, Gage sat on Aaron’s abdomen and reached back to squeezed his little cousin’s two walnuts. “Jack me off, little’cuz.” Gage’s huge dick was thrusting towards the sky, a dewy pearl of precum glistening on its tip. Aaron spit onto both of his palms and grasped with pole, hand over hand, and jacked the thing. Slowly at first and then faster and faster. His little nuts were being brutalized but that, plus the fact that they were naked in the wilderness, made no difference. In fact the exposure made him horny, and he was getting as used to ball pain as he was mind blowing sex.

 

Gage’s dick became bigger and bigger until it gushed juice all over his little side-kick and Aaron’s penis popped its own load all down Gage’s backside, which was firmly pressed against it. The pressure in his balls never eased up (Gage continued to press his thumbs into them), and it was erotically painful. They eventually untangled themselves and jumped into the nearby lake to wash off, scrubbing each other with fistfuls of sand. On the way home Aaron sack-tapped Gage and this turned into a second hit-and-run game of nut tag. When they were both winded (and sore) Aaron turned serious and said in a soft voice:

 

“Gage, I was wondering. Can I . . . can I pop one of your balls some day? I mean not both, just one. I got Tony’s and they were amazing to rupture. And . . . I keep having dreams about doing the same thing to yours. I . . .” his voice drifted off as he saw the expression of concern on his cousin’s face. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.” The boy gulped guiltily.

 

“No, it’s ok. It’s natural to be curious about stuff like that. I’m not sure I want to go around with one nut, little’cuz. I mean, everyone loves my equipment, and I don’t think I’d want to part with any of it. But, you never know . . .” he ruffled his side-kick’s hair and kept walking. Fate, however, would ultimately make the choice for him.

 

 

A few weeks later, the two of them were skating downtown, in the pitch black of night, and were trying to outdo each other in the daring and risk of their moves. Gage decided to go for the ultimate, and grind his way down a ten foot long railing. It was round, hard and narrow. Just as he was halfway along it, the delicate balancing act of the move failed and he landed, balls first, on the railing. There was absolute silence as the impact registered in his brain, and then a scream as he slid off to land in a heap, holding himself. At first Aaron laughed, but when he saw his cousin laying there, not moving, he went to investigate.

 

“Crap,” whispered Gage to him, “I think I broke my ball, little’cuz. Get me home.” Aaron nodded and half dragged, half supported the older boy to the car, and though he didn’t have a license, Aaron drove the two of them to the apartment. Inside they got Gage’s pants off to inspect the damage. Gage’s left testicle was swollen, red and puffed up. It looked ready to burst, like a ripe seed pod.

         

“It doesn’t look too good, Gage. I think mebbe we should go to the hospital.”

         

“No. I can’t afford it. We’ll have to take care of it here. Do you think you could remove it for me? Tony said you did a great job on his.”

         

“I thought you said you didn’t want to lose a nut.” Aaron had a worried look on his face, which Gage didn’t miss. Gage sighed.

 

“I think that’s inevitable now. Tell you what, I’ll let you pop it the rest of the way if you take it out.”

 

Aaron smiled. “OK.” He said. “I’ll get the anesthetic. I think there’s some left over from Tony’s.” He scrambled to get it. He brought back a small bottle and a syringe. While Gage watched, Aaron took the filled needle and plunged it into the heart of Gage’s unnaturally big nut. Gage relaxed as the numbness kicked in.

 

“OK. Go for it, little’cuz.”

 

“Come into the bathroom, Gage, and kneel at the toilet.” Gage followed and kneeled in front of the porcelain throne, lid down. He placed his already damaged gonad on it and watched as his sexy little cousin undressed, placing his cloths carefully on the cloths hamper and then climb onto the commode. Aaron looked down at his cousin. He bent over, grasped Gage’s head and kissed him deeply, then he placed his heel on the egg and began to bare down on it. His own balls were loose and slightly engorged from excitement, as was his cock. He looked down into the face of his older relation. He saw fear mixed with curiosity. Fear of losing part of his “team” and curiosity as to what would happen to it in its final moments. Aaron felt a bit the part of the mentor in this situation, since he’d been through it before, and he guided Gage’s mouth to suck his cock to distract him. Hot warm lips encircled his dick, and he pressed his heel more and more into the heart of the orchid-like bulb. It gave way to his weight, little by little, already feeling a bit soft and vulnerable. It bulged out and ballooned around the edges. Aaron moaned, Gage sucked.

 

Holding on to Gage’s head, pulling at the hair and forcing it against himself, Aaron felt the ball under his foot begin to expand past its normal limits. The wounded gland was getting close to its ultimate demise. Then, all of a sudden, he stopped. Aaron pulled Gage’s mouth off his cock and made the older boy look at him.

 

“Promise me this won’t mean you’ll leave me, Gage” said Aaron, voice thick with anxiety. “I don’t want to lose you too! Promise!” He squeezed his cousin’s hair between his fingers, eliciting tears from those hypnotic, emerald green eyes.

 

“I promise you little’cuz. I won’t leave. You’ll grow up and you’ll leave. Me. Us. Tony and I.” Those green eyes looked up with earnest love, completely forgetting what was about to happen to his ball.

 

And with that, Aaron slammed his heel into Gage’s manhood, causing it to burst with a wet ‘SPLAT’ and the look in Gage’s eyes made Aaron’s cum splash out and coat the older teen’s throat. It was a look of wonder, and surprise. Wonder at the closeness of the relationship between them that this could happen and surprise that it actually just had.

No comments:

Post a Comment

(m/M) Mark and Me Part 2 - NEW

  Mark and Me (Part 2) After our Christmas nut-and-sex-fest my stepdad had minor surgery to remove his squashed testicles and replace them w...