Beginnings of a Weekend: New Bed
A tired body, an irritated mind, and one exhausted lion all agree that a weekend is just what they need to relax. His wife has a present for him, and it's already been delivered and installed. Sleep calls, and a new bed waits. But, it's a strange bed, made of a semi-sentient goo. When the lion lays down for a bit of rest, results are not as expected! All the same, a relaxing weekend awaits!
He slammed the car door. The weather had been piss-poor recently, but even with the sun shining in the sky, work had left him in a rancid mood. The car was an old thing, probably due for a replacement soon. His valet was timid, even with the friendly smile he plastered on. The jingle of the keys falling into his paw brought him back to reality. Leo had half of an entire floor to himself here, in this large, gravity-defying building. No matter how far he looked up, it seemed the building curved, daring to pierce the clouds. It was only a bit over half a mile tall, but it was impressive nonetheless.
The glass front of the building shined, reflecting the suns' rays into his eyes. Just another thing to annoy him when he should be relaxing. The sunglasses didn't help. Didn't even balance on his short muzzle. On the plus side, his reflection looked amazing. The door opened automatically, and there was a massive throng of people. The front desk processing all those people was jam-packed, but there was a small desk, with a familiar receptionist... empty as can be.
She waved him over.
"Having a nice weekend thus far Leo? You don't look it." The chatty leopard was already pecking at her keyboard.
"NO." He growled, a bit louder than he intended.
"That's fine. Furniture people came through on the cargo elevator. They should be just finishing up whatever you had installed." She passed his ID card back. "Not many people living on the 201st floor, after all."
He muttered his thanks, and left. To say he wasn't much for small talk would be an understatement. The elevator was empty. No one else was important enough to get to use this one, apparently. A lonesome ride into the sky more than suited him. No more nonsensical small talk, at least.
It took quite a while to get to his floor, but there were no stops on the way up. Only the shifting pressure of air, and the elevator 'dinging' every floor. It must have taken a good ten minutes, but that much was expected. When the doors opened, it wasn't a moment too soon for the claustrophobic lion. Plain, yet shiny tile gleamed with the evening sun. Checkerboard pattern had fresh scuff marks, and there was a thick pile of packaging outside his door.
The elevator didn't quite go directly to his room, but his half of the floor was more than... occupied. A panther stood outside his open door, grooming his claws. Everyone else seemed to be cleaning up after themselves. Must have been the hardware installers.
"Is it done? Or should I come back later?" He dulled the edge in his voice as much as he could.
His voice startled the crew for only a moment, but they got back to work while the panther explained.
"Yeah, it's done. Old bed has already been hauled away. If you'll-" He was interrupted by a large box being shoved through his door. "A moment, please."
To say the box-toter was unlucky would have been putting it gently. He stumbled under the weight, and the panther caught it. The crew leader gave him an earful the entire time they were carrying it. By the time they'd set it next to the cargo elevator, just behind the VIP elevator, he was out of breath.
"My apologies. But, now we definitely both have everyone out of your suite, and all of our gear. In addition, we're getting ready to leave." He waved over the unlucky box-carrier.
"And, this guy will be explaining how your new bed works." The panther pulled the wolf to his side, patting him on the back.
"I-er-, wasn't that supposed to be Micheal's job?" He stammered.
"Not any more! Besides, he's not here." The panther put on a predatory grin. "And this young gentleman is Lee Anter! Lee, this is Leo-"
"I'm sure he can handle it. It's a bed, man." Leo interrupted him mid-spiel.
"As you say, sir. The rest of us will be gone in the next thirty minutes. Lee will be staying until you send him home." The panther slinked back, leaving the uncomfortable wolf standing on his own.
"At least I get OT..." Lee muttered, seeing his crew manager already bounding away.
"Come inside. You're clearly rattled, and could use some good food and a drink." Leo let the wolf proceed at his own pace.
He could see a response die in Lee's throat, but he complied. Through the hustle and bustle of the work crew, he fumbled around in his pocket. Another ID card, and the door opened again. The place was exactly as he left it, and that was for the best after so many people had rummaged through it.
Even with his earlier irritation, both at work and at the crew leader, he remained polite. The door shut automatically behind the wolf, and they were alone. Noisy footsteps still filtered through his walls, but they were rapidly fading. The muted ding of both the cargo elevator, and the VIP elevator told him all he needed to know.
"This is a nice place... sir." Lee adjusted his collar, just out of sight of the lion.
"Happens when you pay almost five thousand a month. Make yourself at home for now." He disappeared into the kitchen, preparing to delve into one of his favorite hobbies.
Even when he was in the foulest of moods, cooking food was his finest stress outlet. Second only to his wife. Lee fumbled about the apartment suite, staring out of a full-height window. The sight from the top of the world made him dizzy, his breath fogging up the window. Everything looked so tiny from three thousand feet up...
"Meat or veg? I've got both, which would you like?" Leo hovered just outside his kitchen, watching the wolf stare out his ceiling-height windows.
"I, uh... meat would be fine." It was difficult to make meal decisions at the double dose of distraction.
"Gotcha. I'll cook some up right quick, and then you can show me the bed!" Leos' day was already falling away from active memory. All the little annoyances disappeared when he was frying a pair of steaks.
A picture of his wife caught his eye. It stood there, on the counter, reminding him why he worked so hard. The lioness hadn't aged a day, caged in glass recollection. Grease splatter from one of his pans brought him back to reality. She wasn't here right now, but the image comforted him. His aching muscles reminded him that it'd comfort him even more if he were asleep. That could come later, though.
"'Bout two more minutes! Come grab a plate!" It was equal parts order, and request.
It was more than enough to shake Lee from his fascination watching everyone below them. Footpaws encased in sweaty shoes padded into the kitchen. It took a moment for him to find the dishes, even guided by Leos' helpful gestures.
"Knives and forks, sir?" The wolfs' voice cracked.
"Yes. No need to call me sir, though." After he was done cooking, his mane had a bit of grease in it, but that was fine. The warm satisfaction from frying meat to perfection more than outweighed that annoyance.
"Okay... Leo." The name tasted strange on Lees' tongue.
In the short time he'd been in the kitchen, Leo had managed to cook enough for easily two more people. There would be a mess to clean, but the housekeepers could take care of that later. He let the rest of the meat slowly simmer in their own juices, and oil. A paw darted into one of the pans, retrieving his own piece of meat. Washing the mess off, he ran his paws through the sink. The warm water wet his fur, matting it a bit.
"Take any one you'd like. I, or my wife, will eat the rest later." A dishcloth more than dried his paws.
Lee wasted little time in choosing, taking the piece closest to him. Leo made himself busy, trashing the packaging, and resealing the meat he didn't cook. It found a place in the cavernous thing he called a refrigerator. The heavy thud of it shutting and sealing reverberated through the floor.
"You're being really nice to me." Lee stated, staring at his food.
"Figured I'd give you a nice finish to an evenings' work. Between you and me..." He passed through the doorway. "Your boss seems to be an asshole."
Lee tagged behind the lion, watching his tail and mane move with every calculated step.
"Well, you're definitely not wrong." He chose his words carefully.
A roar of raucous laughter burst out of Leos' throat. He didn't stop laughing at the timid wolfs' response until he sat down on his couch. The clink of his plate on the stained hardwood reminded him of his guest.
"It's fine, you know. Not everyone is going to be pleasant to work with, and it's alright to call them out on it. But, on the flip side of that, make sure you've got something new lined up."
Lee scanned for a place to sit, until Leo patted the couch a few feet away from him. His lips twisted, about to say something, but he acquiesced. If Leo was going to feed him before he wanted the product explained, then what would he complain for?
"Lion got your tongue? Sit down, I won't bite, and I'm married anyway." The ring on his handpaw was a shining indication confirming it.
"It's... just unusual, that's all." The leather-covered foam felt odd through his pants. Cold, and barely supporting his meager weight.
"Oh, right! Nearly forgot our drinks. Anything in particular you'd like, Lee?" The lion was already dashing into the kitchen before he could respond.
"Tea, or water is fine!" He shouted after the energetic lion.
The slam of that fridge was becoming familiar at an alarming rate. An ice maker rattled, and the host returned quickly.
"There you go." His glass clinked onto a coaster. "Earl Grey tea, made earlier today. Cold, and sweetened."
"Thank you." Lee poked at his food, waiting for his generous host to begin eating.
"You're welcome, we're not going to bless our food or anything, so dig in." Leo was already sawing at his steak by the time Lee even picked up his knife.
It was impressively good food. Seasoned to perfection, and, if Lees' taste buds hadn't broken entirely, some sort of beef cut. He wasn't all that hungry, and had originally planned to grab something on the way home... but this was far better. The food melted on his tongue, tasty enough to drive out his worry at being stuck with a high-flying businesslion. Speaking of which, his appetite seemed enormous. For every piece Lee managed to eat, the lion had wolfed down at least three. He had slowed down a bit towards the end of his meal, though.
"You are a really good cook." Lee complimented him.
"I know. Never was fond of the idea of someone else cooking for me. An odd obsession with that idea turned into that interesting skill." Leo explained.
They chatted for a while, between chunks of food. Just about small things, the weather, the food, and the like. Lee was stuffed by the time they were done. He leaned back, sipping on his tea. If working like a madman got him this...
"Leave your plate where it is. I'll put it in the dishwasher after you leave. Now, about that bed." He knit his digits together.
"It's a fancy model, to be sure, but I think you'll like it. As you already know, it's really well reviewed."
"Of course. I figured it was about time I got something a bit more high-end." He shrugged, suit threatening to pop off of him.
"Now, taking care of the bed is a bit easier than usual." They were already walking towards the bedroom as they spoke. "But there are a few quirks."
"Such as?" For all his tired irritation earlier, his curiosity won out.
"Well, the fact that you won't need sheets, for one. It's self-cleaning, and can adjust to any shape you want. Barely a bed, in that regard." Lee explained.
"Self-cleaning? You mean it... somehow cleans itself of any grime and other things?" Leo pulled the door open, revealing his master bedroom.
"Exactly! We left it naked, as we figured you'd have your own covers and such to put on it." Lee stood stuck to the doorframe, letting Leo gawk at the bed as much as he wanted.
To be fair, there was a lot to look at. It looked like someone had smashed a gelatin cube into a waterbed foundation, and then expected someone to sleep in it. The almost lime-green color was stark against the clean white foundation. A screen and keypad on the front blended with the theme perfectly. Graphite gray and ice blue light already flooding off of it. It looked... Warm? Inviting maybe? But, it still looked like a pile of jello.
"It -uhm-, looks kinda like what I had for dessert on the plane back." Leo stated his opinion.
"Well, lucky for you!" Lee kneeled down at the foot of the bed, and pressed a few buttons. "It can change colors."
It did exactly as the wolf said. Shifting from the odd green, to an icy blue, another hue of blue, and then to a dark shade of red.
"Neat. Mind demoing the shapes it can do?" Leo crossed his arms.
"Sure can!"
It continued like this for a while. Leo would ask if it had a particular feature, and Lee would explain. The sun was glaring into the windows by the time the two were done. Lee was just finishing up a few maintenance and cautionary warnings.
"... so if you spill something on it, it'll clean itself, but try not to dump a whole lot at once. It can only sop up so much. And a few-" His enthusiasm hadn't dropped a bit, but Leo was getting more than a bit tired.
"Okay, you demoed the modes, the shapes, warned me about spilling too much wine on it... What else is there?"
"That's basically all the warnings I can remember. Occasionally feed it about once a week or so, and it'll be in tip-top shape!" His tail wagged, and knees popped as he finally stood up.
"Feed it? I'm guessing that's those cubes that are stacked next to the bed?" Leo pointed them out, brown boxes clashing something awful with his decor.
"Yeah, those are it. There's a couple of other ways you can feed it, but that's the main one, an-"
"I get the gist. You've explained everything I've asked for, and then some. Thanks for staying... but I do believe it's time we finished up." Leo sighed.
"You sure?" Lee seemed just as eager to leave, as Leo was to go to sleep.
"Yeah. Thank you for staying so long, and keeping me company a while." He ushered the wolf out of his bedroom, and down the corridor.
"And thank you for the opportunity to demo one of our products! And the meal. It was really good." Lee's smile warmed Leos' heart.
"Yes. Just as nice having someone to eat with that didn't want to talk business."
He was about to let the wolf leave entirely, but a thought popped into his head.
"Say, one last thing."
"Hmm?" Lee's ear twitched as he was walking through the door.
"Here." He fumbled through his wallet. "Take this for being an excellent install guy."
Lee's eyes bugged out, and his smile grew even wider. The small credit chip the lion was offering was almost a weeks' pay! The feel of the small metal device falling into his paw made the world seem light again. Or, that may have been the altitude.
"Thank you again, sir! Thanks much!"
"You're welcome. Have a safe, quick trip home." He shook the wolf's paw, and waved as he took the elevator down.
The sunset looked nice and all, but truth be told, Leo couldn't stand it when he was getting ready to sleep. He polarized the windows, tinting them black. Lights in the huge luxury apartment came on automatically, replacing the soft evening light with a harsher electronic glow. But, at his command, even they dimmed to a barely visible level.
"So, I'll be sleeping on jello tonight. Really, really comfy jello." The thought rolled around in his head as much as the words off his tongue. It felt strange to even consider it. But, as with everything else, there was only one good way to see if it was true or not.
His door swung open with barely a sound. It waited, still alternating colors as Lee had demonstrated. For now, it had coalesced into a recliner. Leo waited, and watched. The wolf had said something or another about alternate feeding methods during the demonstration, but he couldn't remember what it was... Oh well. He'd feed it tomorrow, before he set out into town. A nice show or two at the theater, then a few rounds at the bars.... Sounded like a good enough way to start the weekend.
His suit came off much easier than it had gone on this morning. Leo was one of those odd people that slept without clothes. A folded square of fabric brushed against his footpaws. It was his bed covers. Bending down, he retrieved them. Something tickled his ear, a sound coming from the bed. It almost sounded like a bubble... popping? Sharp eyes scanned the bed. It didn't look like anything was out of place. At least not right now, anyways.
He dismissed it. Even if a bubble had floated to the surface, and escaped, it would have no impact on his bed's performance.
Effort was a bit difficult to summon up, so Leo made use of the bed's features. He tossed the cover onto the gel recliner, and watched. In an amazing feat of technology, and probably a bit of magic, the furniture had spread the cover over itself. A self-making bed. Dream of husbands and wives everywhere!
Leo chuckled to himself. A few keypresses later, a more traditional bed formed. Sleeping in a recliner had never agreed with him, but perhaps it would be used when he watched football. Or not. He never did much like the sport. Never did get the appeal either. And, also never won any of his bets. That much was certain.
Watching the recliner fall apart, and turn back into a gel bed was an amusing distraction from the thoughts in his head. After it had, he ran a paw underneath the heavy blanket, and across the soft gel. It was oddly warm, and not as wet as he was expecting. It indented easily underneath his paw digits, and sprang back just as easily. It felt like an inner-spring, latex, and memory foam bed had gotten together... and well, had a night none of them remembered.
It'd do.
Not a creak, groan, or pop came from the bed as he climbed atop it. The silence was another added plus, even here at over three thousand feet above sea level. The smooth feel of the gel squishing between his pawpads felt odd, and strangely relaxing. Warmth against his back soothed aching muscles when he climbed beneath the cover.
Something was missing, though.
He rolled over, staring at his alarm clock. It was nearly ten PM, and usually, he'd be asleep within moments of getting in bed. Something felt off, not quite right. It wasn't the bed. Leo scratched idly at his belly. Phone was where it should be... beside the bed, on the bedstand. Clothes didn't matter, wasn't work to do the next day. He ran through everything in his head, checking things off a mental list. His scratching intensified until it became his distraction. Something else was bugging him, and an itch drew him lower.
Wet, matted fur greeting his roaming handpaw. It was just like him to forget about a base need. And, while his wife would normally solve this for him... He was alone. But, he reached for his phone. She'd help him still, albeit indirectly.
The bright light of the phone caused him to shield his eyes at first. But, soon they adjusted just fine. It didn't take long for him to navigate to the folder, either. He growled, stroking himself with his off hand. There she was... in all her leonine glory. Full screen, and every detail popped out at him. All that lovely, ruffled fur spoke volumes to him. His rod, too. An odd gurgling sound stole his attention. It sounded like the bed was settling? No matter, it was just a bed. It shouldn't interrupt him from his solo play.
Rod leaking prodigiously, he continued. It'd take a while yet, but soon he'd have his relief. And then, his much-needed rest. Even this light activity was making him more tired, heart beating a little faster than normal. His paw-pads glided across his sensitive arousal. Fur had already matted from his generous contribution, making the process a little easier.
Something shifted underneath him. His covers were drawn to the side by an unseen force.
"The fu-" He swore to himself, cold air hitting his fur.
The bed was moving underneath him. It pushed him back into the recliner form, but something was different. It felt like his lower legs had sunk into the material. Looking down, it seemed that they had! It was warm to the touch, softly sucking more of his body under. The material crawled up his body, stopping above his knees. He remained calm, almost disinterested. Continuing to stroke his rod, he watched as the bed oozed up his form.
"Should have let Lee finish explaining, I guess." Leo chastised himself. It was only his fault he didn't.
The cold air quickly turned into soft warmth as the goo bed covered more and more of him. His fur stuck out and was ruffled all the wrong ways as it got stuck inside the gelatin. It was really, really comfy though. So there he reclined, half-in, and half-out of the chair made of his ex-bed. It stopped covering more of him after it reached his inner thighs.
It skipped his groin, instead opting to pull in his upper body. Thankfully, it left his shoulders and above free. The radiant warmth relaxed him, and it felt like the bed was giving him a massage along his legs. High technology had its' perks, he supposed.
It moved faster, having just a little more to cover now. His tail was immobilized in the bed. Try as he might, it was immovable. Like someone had stuck the entirety of it in quick-drying concrete. The massaging sensations moved inwards, along his tail.
"Whoa now..."
If he knew where this was going, it was going to remind him of the time his wife tried pegging. It wasn't like he had much of a say in the matter, though. The bed gurgled again, this time, sucking in the entirety of his groin. It creeped up his rod, the warm, gentle sensations following with it. His pawpad was nudged out of the way, goo sliding underneath it.
His phone had been dropped at the initial shock, but the bed wrapped around it, and brought it in front of Leo once more. The slideshow was still going, his wife splayed out in all kinds of seductive poses. Some of them even had his magnificent self in them. Leo grinned, and laid back, waiting for the bed to do its' worst. Besides, if the bed was going to take care of that... need, then why did he need to bother?
The gelatin proved surprisingly soft and pliable underneath his paws. A bit stretchy, too. He kneaded at it, as it massaged at his ass cheeks, and engulfed the rest of his rod. Not even his claws could leave a lasting mark. The warmth underneath his paws felt outstanding, aching muscles being revived underneath the gentle massage. He plunged them in. It felt like a whole-body massage, now. All the same, he let the bed spread him open, pushing his meaty cheeks to either side. It fondled his balls, rolling them from side to side. It tugged at his rod, feeling... surprisingly similar to a certain lioness.
A video file began to play. There weren't any videos in this folder, though?
It was his wife!
"Hey honey, I see you're having fun with the new bed!" Her voice was music to his ears, but where was she?
The camera pointed downwards. Was that his bed? Why was she-
"I know what you're thinking, why am I in your bed, and why is it-" she giggled. "In me? Well, see, part of the reason it took so long was because I had to give them a few pointers. Or rather, the bed, anyways."
"You have got to be kidding me." He blinked twice.
"Yeah, yeah, it's all a bit ridiculous. But relax."
A different camera gave him a close-up view of her being spread open by the bed. She curled around, and grinned at the camera. Another piece of the bed slipped inside her, spreading her rear entrance open. The translucent, nearly completely see-through bed left little to the imagination. Her pleasure was evident, a series of growls, purrs, and outright moans echoing out of her throat.
"Enjoy your new toy honey. I know I certainly am enjoying the learning process!"
The video file ended just as he felt a pressure beginning to poke inside him. So that was why it had taken a full month to ship...He did appreciate her efforts though.
And, it explained why the goo stroking at him felt so, so similar. Nothing would replace the feeling of her atop him, but this was damn close. So close, that if he just closed his eyes, he'd barely know the difference. That easy fantasy was shattered when the gooey tendril began to push its' way inside him. It was thin, and tapered to a fine tip, but it pierced into him with ease. The rest, though, not so much. It thickened as more and more slipped inside him. If the video had been any indication, he'd be gaping wide open soon enough.
His balls churned, and his barbed cock felt rock hard. This stimulation by an odd, tentacled, bed-thing frazzled his mind a bit. It was all a bit much to take in on a single day. But, it was proving to be more and more pleasurable as time went on. The goo coating his cock stiffened between his barbs, pushing them downwards, and then pulling them back. It drove him mad, one barely visible stroke at a time.
The warmth felt almost too hot. He panted, and sweat poured off his form. He felt close, but still so, so far away. The feeling of being spread open was a distraction, but the warmth snaking its' way inside him did wonders. The odd sensation of the tendril widening, and leaving pieces inside him was strange. It felt barely solid. However, as more and more of it pooled inside him, he realized. It was lube. It was using portions of itself as lube, as it stretched him open. His insides became more and more relaxed, and the ache began to disappear.
It was replaced by a strange, unfamiliar pleasure. Leo hadn't the fondest memories of that night his wife pegged him, but this was changing his mind quickly. Whatever the faux-cock inside him was doing, it was working. His own rod was beginning to have a bubble of pre floating just above the tip. Milky-white, it just floated there, in an almost perfect sphere. Perhaps that was one of the alternate feeding methods? The lion didn't care a jot. The pleasure was too overwhelming. The bed could do as it wished with his seed and pre afterwards.
"Grrrr." His throat felt tight as he growled. Almost constricted from the waves of pleasure crashing over him.
The tendril had widened enough now, and was prodding against his most sensitive innards. It felt like a warm, stroking sensation inside him, providing electric jolts of pleasure. And an even warmer feeling growing inside him. He felt close, his balls tensing up, and then relaxing. Not quite close enough to orgasm, but close enough that he felt pent up.
The goo began moving his rod around. Tugging at it in various directions, feeling like particularly vigorous thrusting inside an all-too-willing female. It felt like many hands, all at once. Massaging all over him, unknotting tight, tense muscles. Forcing him to relax, and enjoy the show. The goo in his palm hardened, providing the feeling of some sort of handles underneath his paws. Handles he gripped as he felt the first tell-tale signs of a roaring orgasm.
His insides rippled, and the bed hardened around him. His body tensed, straining against the now-hardened bed. The first ropes of kitty cum jetted out into the still-soft goo, mixing with the pool already there. Every shot felt like concentrated stress leaving his body. Every spurt felt one step closer to a relaxing, enjoyable weekend. His entire body tingled, feeling like static crawling along his body. Every spurt drained him more and more. The thick tendril inside him almost felt like it was vibrating, and he could definitely feel himself rippling around it.
He'd forgotten to roar, his orgasm had been so powerful. Eyelids heavy, he struggled to watch yet another message play across his phones' screen.
"Well, if the phone is playing this, then it worked." It was his wife again. "I know it's not the same as me being there, but I do hope it helped a bit. I'll be home Sunday, maybe we can demo it together?"
The camera was at a different angle. Showing off his wife in a tired heap, splayed out at an angle on the chair-bed. One that was surprisingly similar to the one Leo was in right now.
"Either way. Sleep tight sweetie. I'll be home soon."
The file ended.
Leo huffed, letting the last few weak drops of cum be vacuumed off of his cock. The bed relaxed, becoming an actual flat surface again. A proper bed. A bed that was still stuck inside him. He rolled his eyes before rolling over.
Wouldn't be the strangest thing he had slept in. But, it was relaxing, in more ways than one. It could stay. His ass was sore, and still stretched open. Sleep beckoned all the same, and it was a call that he couldn't quite resist this time. It would be an odd thing to sleep with something stuck inside him... but he could try it, at least.
His dreams were strange that night, but it was the best sleep he'd ever gotten.
"So, enjoy your bed?" His wife was home this time.
"It was a bit odd the first night, but not bad."
They were both having a bit of coffee that Sunday morning. Relaxing while the sun came up.
"Well, perhaps we should try a duo session tonight?" The mischievous glint in her eyes told him all he needed to know.
"Who says we need to wait until tonight? We're off alllll this week." He drew out the word.
"And here I thought you didn't like having your butt poked at." She smirked.
"Let's say my horizons have broadened a bit, and prospects are... looking up."
They shared a laugh, and before long, they were sharing each other. If Leo had to say, his wife's suggestion of that bed was the best thing that had happened to him in recent memory.
It was a good thing too, because she'd be using it just as much as he had, soon!
(Hey! Thanks for reading my shorter piece this time. This one took a while longer than usual, but that's fine. As always, vote how you feel, comment, and don't forget to fav if you liked it!
In one last small addition, keep an eye on this usual post-story spot for some new additions...)