#Like. Can you please stop trying to categorise me under one of two ways of misgendering please

[phantom-le6]

Ramble of the month April 2024: Autism Month Ramble on Employment

At last, we come round to the third April, the third Autism Awareness Month, since I started doing monthly ramble articles, and so once again I’m drawing on my experiences as an autistic person to raise that awareness.  For 2022, I looked at relationships, and last year the subject was education.  This time, I’m going to look into the question of employment in relation to people with autism.  This one is always a big concern for parents of children on the autistic spectrum, and as an employed autistic person struggling to get to an income level I can live alone on, it’s still a big concern for me as well.  This is also a subject covered in the autism book I’m trying to publish, so here’s to road-testing that content a little more.

Now so far, I don’t get much feedback either way on my Tumblr posts, but I want to clarify some things before we go any further.  First, what I’m writing here is very much going to be based on me as a private autistic individual.  Nothing I say here should be in any way taken as a reflection on my day job, and if anyone does, that’s your mistake, and I bear no responsibility for it.  Second, as a person with autism, I consider myself an ally to other groups that are misunderstood and subject to prejudice, so odds are as you go on, there might be elements that take a pro-LGBTQ+ stance.  No offense is intended in anything I say, but if you take anything pro-LGBTQ+ as offensive, I recommend you stop reading now.  For those carrying on, remember, I’m ok with constructive criticism, but I have no tolerance for bullying/trolling/abuse of any kind, so remember to keep any feedback civil, or otherwise please just refrain from commenting.

Now, as ever when I talk about autism, I always like to go over the basics of what autism is, how it can affect people who are autistic, and so on.  First, autism is one of a number of conditions that falls under the umbrella of neurodiversity, which is a term used to describe the idea that there is more than one valid way for human minds and brains to function.  Because these conditions result in deficits in certain skills and areas of learning, they’re often categorised as a form of disability or mental ill health, but in truth they are neither.  I use the term ‘differently abled’ to describe myself because I can do most things non-autistics can; I just have to do them very differently in some cases.  Likewise, autism is not a mental illness; it’s simply a different version of mental fitness, though we can still be affected by mental illness in ways similar to non-autistic people.

As to what causes autism, all anyone really knows is that people who are autistic are born that way.  It’s not the result of vaccines, and as I noted last year, I view the claim that vaccines cause autism as a form of anti-autistic hate speech which should be criminalised accordingly.  It’s also not the result of bad parenting or a lack of discipline, and while many autistics are prone to incidents of meltdown, these outbursts do not stem from aggressive or malicious personalities.  Autistic people are on one “mental wave-length”, everyone else is on another such “wave-length”, and the frustration and friction between the two leads to incidents of meltdown.

Now let’s consider the traits of autism.  Primarily, autism is defined by social skill deficits that fall into the three areas of what is known as the ‘Triad of Impairment’.  If someone has traits within all three areas of the triad, as well as the other associated traits of autism, then they are almost certainly autistic.  The first area of difficulty is Social Communication, which deals with how people put across what they want to say and the social skills linked to that.  Second is Social Interaction, which are all the social skills you need to accurately interpret what others say to you.  Third is Social Imagination, which is the aspect of social skills linked with your ability to anticipate how others may react to your words and actions.

The impairments in these areas seem to stem primarily from the fact that the mind of an autistic person doesn’t learn social skills automatically through observation and interpretation as non-autistics do.  In effect, the “social skill auto-pilot” present in neurotypical minds is not present for autistic people, and we have to learn social skills through explicit, direct instruction and implement them in the same way.  This also gives us a very literal mindset, making us prone to missing the point of jokes, or perhaps not even recognising where a joke has been told.  Likewise, figures of speech and metaphor can be a major challenge for us (like Drax from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but less stupid).

Other autistic traits include a high need for predictability to offset how confusing we find the world around us.  Routine and advance knowledge of any major changes that we might find disruptive are two ways this need can be met, but a third that is highly unique to autistics is the concept of special interests.  This can be anything we develop an interest in that we find predictable, and because predictability is vital to our mental well-being, special interests occupy a lot of our minds at any given time.  For this reason, such interests can be mistaken for obsessions, but obsessions are ultimately joyless where special interests are highly enjoyable to us.  Some also mistake them for hobbies, but that’s too casual a label given the role they play for autistic people.

The last couple of traits to go over are sensory issues and coinciding special needs.  The first stems from the altered brain chemistry that results in autism, or such was the case last I heard, and causes senses to either be ramped up (hyper-sensitive) or ramped down (hypo-sensitive).  These can result in behaviours known as “stimming”, which as I understand it is seeking a specific sensory experience as a way to calm down, though to be honest it’s one trait of autism I don’t think I’ve ever shown myself.  As such, I’m not sure if it’s because it’s down to specific sensory needs (I’m a hearing-and-taste hyper-sensitive) or where someone is on the autistic spectrum.  There’s also a general processing delay in terms of how long autistic people take to process new information, so at times we might seem a bit slow in our reactions to things, and can easily be flustered by the new and the unexpected; another reason for our dependence on predictability.

The final trait, that of coinciding special needs, means just that.  Autistic people are very rarely just autistic.  Many have other needs, though what these are vary quite widely.  Some can have ADHD, be dyslexic, have major sensory impairments, and so on.  In this respect, I’ve been sort of lucky in that my other special needs are a general impairment of my hand-eye co-ordination and gross motor skills.  Granted, that almost certainly doesn’t combine well with my sensory processing delay, but at least it’s otherwise separate and distinct from my autism.

Now a moment ago I mentioned the concept of the autistic spectrum.  Autism is a very varied form of neurodiversity, and when I used to give talks on the subject, a frequent phrase that came up at the talks was “when you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.”  Even looking at the handful of autistic people I was a part of when delivering those talks, that phrase is easily understood as true.  However, the spectrum model of “high-to-low functioning” is often misinterpreted as being a sliding scale of autistic severity.  This is totally untrue; a supposedly “high-functioning” autistic like myself can have needs just as profound as those of a “low-functioning” autistic.

To my mind, the misinterpretation stems from what are known as masking behaviours.  These are any behaviours that effectively conceal autistic traits from being observed by mimicking neurotypical behaviours, and are the key reason why autism is often labelled a ‘hidden disability’.  While the second part of that label is wrong for most people, the first part certainly explains why some autistic people are not diagnosed sooner in life, and I believe it accounts for the illusion of a functionality scale.  In essence, so-called “high-functioning” autistics have very effective masking abilities, while “low-functioning” autistics are simply not capable of or interested in using these behaviours.  As such, terms like “high-masking”, “heavy-masking”, “low-masking” or “light-masking” would make better sense of the spectrum concept.  Also, the spectrum does not run all the way to neurotypical.  Autistic people can be anywhere on the autistic spectrum, but neurotypical people aren’t on it, ever.

Given all of the above factors, I dare some of you may wonder how on Earth autistic people can get into the workforce.  Honestly, it’s not easy, and that’s assuming we’re lucky enough to get qualifications and skills from our education that will even be considered by potential employers, never mind getting an interview and out-doing all other applicants to get offered the post.  This means education is vital to help get your foot in the door anywhere; the better the results you can get and the higher you can go in terms of qualification, the better.  As someone who could never work out what they wanted to be, was never advised how to tackle further education effectively and frankly went to a lousy secondary school where bullying was rife, I’ve often regretted not doing better with my own education.  However, when the deck is stacked against you in terms of working out your future occupation and being left alone to study well for it, there’s not much to be done.

So, the first step is to work out what you can do and want to do before you get to your first chance to choose school subjects in education, then follow one or a few potential paths until the next subject selection opportunity narrows things further.  This may not apply for everyone on the autistic spectrum, as some of us will be too low-masking to engage well with education, never mind employment, and it also depends where you live.  If you’re aiming to be educated near to home as much as possible and you don’t live in or near a large city with a lot of employers in varying fields, your opportunities will be limited.

Another important thing to bear in mind is that living costs are almost constantly increasing with time, and not every job will meet those costs.  This is something my education never covered, and frankly getting promoted enough to get ahead of those increases is extremely difficult as well.  As such, I would advise anyone with an autistic child that’s trying to work out appropriate school subjects to really look at the potential wages of a future job role against cost-of-living expenses.  If they can stand to study long enough in the right subject areas, a lot of autistic young people should be able to qualify for some really good initial job roles in certain areas.  Combine that with some lessons about sound money management, and they’ll be more likely to achieve independence than if they just stumble from education into work at any level with no real idea what to do.

Of course, this leaves the question of knowing what job areas will best fit someone with autism, and that’s never an easy question to answer.  Because autistic people vary so heavily from one another, one autistic’s ideal job might be another’s nightmare, but that being said, there are some common factors to all people with autism that can form the basics of a good framework for picking what kind of work to aim for.  The most obvious is to remember that all job roles are likely to involve some interaction with other people, so you need to consider what that’s likely to mean for each job role and the autistic person aiming to do it.

For example, roles in shops, cafes and on a reception desk all mean dealing with a wide variety of people from the general public, whereas working in an office, a warehouse or a kitchen can shield you from the public a bit.  That said, administrative roles can involve a lot of telephone conversations, so depending on whether you find phones easier or more difficult than face-to-face communication, this may be better or worse than a more in-person role.  If you’re overly honest as an autistic person and struggle to employ tact or to “spin” the truth, you may not want to consider working in areas like car sales or real estate, as these roles need people that can stretch the truth slightly in order to succeed with customers.

Difficulty imparting the truth carefully could also hinder you if you’re looking at something in the medical profession, as it would probably be considered as a “poor bedside manner”, and work in that area also requires a lot of patience, the ability to show empathy well and to not only cope with people at their most vulnerable, but at their most sensory-affecting as well.  I can well imagine that various aspects of physical illness could be overwhelming to sensory hyper-sensitives in the autistic community, as could some of the treatments.  As a hearing hyper-sensitive myself, I think packed wards or waiting rooms would be a major issue for me if I’d ever gone into medicine in any fashion.

A job role connected to someone’s special interests may be advisable, but it depends what the special interest is.  As a fan of superheroes living in an English city that is really more of a town, there’s never been much near to me that plays into my special interest except the occasional retail post, which doesn’t work for me.  Likewise, an autistic person with a special interest in trains might do ok if that interest is more about timetables or trains in general.  However, if their special interest is in steam locomotives, I’d caution against considering a job role at any heritage railways.  Between such railways being mostly volunteer-run and the rising cost of suitable fuel, it’s very unlikely that anyone could make a decent living, especially during colder months of the year when services are either reduced or not running.  As such, special interests might not work as the job itself, but they can be good motivation to get through the steps leading towards qualification and then employment.

Now let’s assume you’ve worked out what job you or your child want to do, depending on whether you’re the autistic child or their parent.  Let’s assume education has then been followed as far as it can be, so now it’s down to getting a job, which is all about applying for jobs, hopefully getting an interview and, if you get said interview, getting hired.  Not really easy, especially for jobs that ask for a CV instead of an application form.  In my experience, CVs can be very limiting, especially for those of us on the autistic spectrum.  The working world is as bad if not worse than education when it comes to accepting people with special needs into it, so autistic people are forced to work harder to convince employers that we’re as capable or more capable than everyone else.

On a CV, you only have so much space to use to tell an employer about yourself, your qualifications, your skills, what it is that makes you worth giving an interview to.  Often a person with autism will need more space to make the case for their consideration as an interview/job candidate, because we’ve not only got to say why we’re deserving, we’ve also got to allay the employer’s concerns about our autism.  Some people might argue that we could just try to apply without mentioning our autism, but this is just asking for trouble down the line as it would potentially delay or prevent the implementation of support in the workplace where needed.

By comparison, employers who provide a facility for an application form to be submitted, one where you can write a lengthy statement, are a much better option.  Going down this route gives autistic job candidates the space necessary to impart all the information they need to.  A good tip with this is to look on the job advert and any accompanying information for the criteria being used for the job role.  A good statement of why you can do the job should answer these criteria, and if you’re not sure about writing a long run of paragraphs addressing the whole lot, break them down into bullet points and answer each in turn.  As a long-time employee at an organisation that favours the application form approach, I can attest that this is a very good way to fill out the appropriate area of the application form asking why you think you can do the job.

When applying for job roles, always be aware of the catch-22 scenario around qualifications and experience.  A lot of employers seem to expect experience before you may have had a chance to get it, and some may ask for qualifications you might not have.  However, a lot will ask for either the qualifications or the experience, so where you might lack one, the other will compensate.  After nearly 20 years of employment myself, I’m now using my experience more when looking at new jobs rather than my qualification, which were what I referenced more in my earlier job roles.

A good way to build up work experience while in further education can be to seek part-time job roles or temporary “summer jobs”, but this isn’t always advisable for people on the autistic spectrum.  During term time, the extra time we get from free periods is best used to study, and we still need a lot of time to destress from using our social skills to interact with teachers, other students and so on.  Also, while some summer jobs and school-based work experience can be useful, not all things available in this line would be relevant to the job roles you might be aiming for as an adult.  You also may not get to perform anything more than some very basic tasks in some areas; the kind of things I did for my own work experience were extremely basic and menial compared to the kind of work I’m able to do now.

Another thing to bear in mind when applying for a job role is how will you get there.  This is less of an issue in some areas of work due to the advent of home-working, and in certain trades you or a colleague would need a work vehicle, but in other areas being able to get from where you live to where you work is key.  This is a potentially very limiting consideration if, like myself, you don’t drive and depend on ever-decreasing bus services for a commute.  It puts you in a situation of being limited further still in terms of where you can work, because if you can’t get to the work location on a regular basis, you’re not likely to keep that job for any decent length of time.

For now, though, let’s assume you’ve found a job that you can get to with a reasonable amount of ease, you’ve applied for it and you’ve been offered an interview.  Key thing to remember with this and with your job application is that you need to tell whoever is hiring for the job as much relevant information about yourself as possible.  The less you tell them, or the more you tell them that isn’t relevant, the less likely you are to get the job.  There is also such a thing as being too honest, especially when it comes to interview questions, and before all of that, you’ve got to make sure you assume an appropriate appearance.

Many people with autism struggle with things like hygiene or wearing certain forms of appropriate clothing.  For some, it’s because we’re hyper-focused on our special interests and don’t recognise how our lapse in appearance and cleanliness affects others, or we do recognise it but it ranks a long way down from our special interests.  For others, there may be sensory issues when it comes to certain fabrics, clothing styles and so on.  However, for job interviews, it’s vital to make sure we’re well presented, and that we maintain some level of good hygiene and work-appropriate attire when in a given role.  This is because how we appear to prospective employees, and later to colleagues and customers, gives them a sense of how professional we can be.  The better we appear to others, the more likely they are to trust us and want to work with us.

Now not every job role will have identical dress standards, but for interviews, basic elements like a suit, shirt and tie, or an appropriate equivalent in women’s attire, are almost a universal constant.  It’s often worth asking about what appropriate work attire will be if you’re entirely new to a given area of work, and in some office-based work, standards of attire can vary from team to team.  As interviews often involve giving you a chance as an applicant to ask questions towards the end, asking about the dress code for the role you’re going for can be a good one to have at hand, especially if you know enough about the role that you’ve not got any questions regarding your duties if you get it.

Next, be sure to prepare by considering what questions you might be asked and get some answers ready.  If you have a parent/carer, relative or family friend with experience of the organisation you’re aiming to work in, or just with going through interviews generally, it can often be a good idea for them to go through the information you have on the job you’re going to be interviewed for.  They can help you work out what the questions might relate to and help you to work out your answers in advance.  A key thing to remember here is not to tell the full, unabashed truth in answering all questions.  For instance, it’s not socially acceptable to say you want a job because you want money, since outside of zero-hour contracts, work experience or unpaid internships, all jobs should involve paying you.  Likewise, anything to the effect of “don’t know” or “my parents are making me” are also unwise, and if a person with autism can’t bring themselves to hold these answers in while saying something else, then they’re probably not ready to enter the work force just yet.

This is where going for jobs linked to the things that you like or that you can do very well will come in useful, as these could be considered as reasons why you’ve gone for a certain job or employer over others.  Learning something about the employer you’re interviewing with can also be useful, especially if you can reword things from their website, etc. into your answers to demonstrate you’ve done research on them.  As I’ve noted before, also have a question or two ready to ask the interview person/panel when they finish asking you questions.  Employers should also provide reasonable adjustments for you to attend an interview or do the job role, so make sure you ask for this in applying and if you get the job, but you shouldn’t need to ask about these during an interview.  A good interview reasonable adjustment is to flag up that you may need them to re-ask questions with different phrasing if you don’t quite understand it to begin with.  If an employer isn’t meeting your reasonable adjustment requests at the interview stage, I’d advise against taking the job to avoid working for an unsupportive employer.

Let’s say you follow the advice above all the way to interview stage and get a job as an autistic employee somewhere.  What’s next?  Well, if you’re already in a job role, you’ll have to give notice at your previous job role and finish up there before you can start a new job.  If you’ve been on unemployment benefits, you’ll have to advise of the change at the job centre where you sign on, but I’d advise waiting until just before you start in order to avoid a massive gap between when the benefits end and your work starts.  If, for example, you start a new job on a Monday, the Friday before is probably the optimum date to let the job centre know.

Bear in mind that different employers have different timescales for when employees are paid, so be sure to ask about when you will be paid in your new job role if you don’t already know, but be careful about when you ask.  A good timing would be at your interview after you’ve asked one or two questions of your own unrelated to pay.  Knowing when to expect your work pay for the first time after your unemployment benefit ends will help you plan your finances better to cover that interim period.

Now all jobs are different, and you can end up with colleagues, team-mates, managers and customers that can be very nice, very nasty or anywhere in between.  There’s no guarantee that the person/people who did your interview will work directly with you, and if they do, their behaviour at the interview might not be how they act day-to-day in the office.  Also bear in mind that jobs are advertised and interviewed for in “broad strokes”, covering things in a very generalised sense and rarely over going into exact details.  If a job role is newly created within a given employer, exact details may not even be something that exist yet, and you may be taking a role in shaping what the job is when you get it.

Given all of this, I can’t tell you with absolute certainty what may be involved in each and every job you could get.  That said, I will impart some advice that is important to learn.  First, gossip is the native language of almost every work environment humanity has ever produced.  There is no workplace in existence where there won’t be at least a few people spending too much time in idle gossip, and at least one person quite happy to throw their colleagues under the proverbial bus if they see anything they consider worth tattling on.  As such, it’s often best to keep your head down, work hard and learn as soon as you can the difference between friendly office banter and potentially harmful gossip.

Second, avoid mixing work and romance.  Colleagues and relations of colleagues are not the best people to get involved with romantically, sexually or both.  It feeds the rumour mill of any workplace, it risks giving people the wrong idea about you, and if the relationship falls apart, it can make your work life very problematic if not impossible.  Even if you move job roles in an attempt to resolve the issue, this can also backfire.  As such, it is generally advisable to leave your work life and your love/sex life separate from each other.

Third, a lot of employers will only step in to enforce their rules if an incident affects their public image.  Internal issues like bullying, especially between two members of the same team where the bully is a position of authority over the victim, are seldom if ever dealt with.  Some of this is because the victim has to report the incident, so there’s no mechanism to ensure a safe means of reporting such issues if the bully is the victim’s manager and the victim is afraid of reprisals.  By comparison, any actions that are likely to reflect badly on the employer because they’ve happened in public or the effect is publicly visible are often dealt with very swiftly and harshly.  This means many employees, especially those of us on the autistic spectrum, can at times find ourselves walking on eggshells in what few jobs we can get, afraid to even breathe out of turn, much less report any workplace issues or incidents that adversely affect us.

Of course, autistics and others in the work place shouldn’t have to deal with some of these things, and more needs to be done to deal with them better.  Firstly, we should be working harder as a society to stamp out discrimination and bullying, and we should be criminalising bullying and increasing education about the various ways people differ from one another.  This would help not just autistics and the wider differently abled community, but also people of colour, women, members of the LGBTQ+ community and more besides, some of whom will also happen to be autistic.  If we were more tolerant of differences and less tolerant of people ill-treating each other over their various differences, we’d have nice education and work environments to work in, not to mention what it would do to improve social media.

More also needs to be done to help ensure autistic applicants not only have an equitable chance at gaining jobs, but also being promoted within the organisations they join.  More employers using job application forms over CVs would aid with this, as would considering less use of interviews and more use of testing models.  Now by test, I’m not saying make everyone sit exams to get jobs, because that is akin to interviews in that it's all about regurgitating answers on cue.  As useful as these tools can be, when you boil them down, a trained parrot could pass an interview if it knew the right words.  When you look for someone to fill a vacancy, you need someone who can do the job well, and outside of acting or politics, not many jobs involving repeating a bunch of canned blather.

So, what do I mean by more testing?  Simply put, I mean what tests set alongside interviews have done for years; set a bunch of tasks to be done within a given time-frame, then see how someone performs them.  If the instructions are suitably literal to ensure both autistics and non-autistics understand them well, this can be a better gauge of an autistic person’s suitability for a given role, because it demonstrates the abilities they would use day-in and day-out.  By comparison, the social skill demands of an interview may be in excess of not only the job role’s requirements, but also an autistic’s ability to handle from a social skills perspective.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that while autistics and other differently abled people are allowed reasonable adjustments, we don’t always get them.  Some employers will have different ideas about what adjustments are “reasonable”, and some will claim that because a given support option would be refused by someone of a higher position to your manager, there’s no point in asking.  As far as I can tell, there isn’t much support to enforce the legislation around reasonable adjustments when these kinds of issues become apparent, and to be fair, it shouldn’t be necessary.

What do I mean by this?  Well, as I’ve noted before, the world is made by those without autism for those without autism, and as a result, autistics are made to jump through extra hoops, tackle additional obstacles that non-autistic people never have to contend with.  The same is true when we look at differently abled people in general, or if we consider things like skin colour, sex, gender identity, sexuality, religion and so on.  Whoever is in power within a society rigs that society in their own favour at the expense of anyone different, and all changes made to bridge the gap actually just disguise it to create a feeling of false equality.  True equality only exists when a society is created to fit all groups within it by default, so for autistic people, a truly equal society would be designed with us in mind from the very beginning.  If that was so, then we wouldn’t need reasonable adjustments at school or work because education and employment would take all facets of autism into account by default.

This is the most vital change that all groups in society need, for those in power who rig society against us to abandon their arrogance and selfishness, and address needs other than their own.  Whether the divide is autistic and non-autistic, black and white, women and men, straight/cis and LGBTQ+, or whatever else you can think of, no one on either side should be making the other side jump through extra hoops.  It should be equally easy, equally possible, for people with the right qualifications to apply for jobs, go to some form of test and be selected without any aspect of the process requiring a “reasonable adjustment.”  In the meantime, if we can’t have this, then we should at least have a facility within all employers that states that no one can refuse a reasonable adjustment just because the people who want it aren’t in a position of authority over the people who need to say yes to it.  If someone needs an adjustment, you make it, end of discussion, and if you don’t like, just remember this; the whole is made by people like you, for people like you, and you’ve had that privilege all your life, so please don’t be selfish when someone less fortunate is asking for a little equality and human decency.

To summarise, getting into employment is not easy when you’re on the autistic spectrum, and neither is retaining a job or gaining promotions once you are employed.  We need to deal with a lot of issues other people don’t, we don’t always get the support we need, and much of what we need stems from the arrogance and selfishness of non-autistic society.  When that society is more humble, more selfless and more willing to treat us as equals, this will be better, but I doubt we’ll see a society like that anytime soon.  So, for now, good luck to my fellow autistics with anything they’re trying to get job-wise, and until my next ramble, ta-ta for now.

[fific7]

Dangerous and Divine - Part 14

Billy Russo x Reader

Summary: Billy Russo is an itch you don’t want to scratch. But he’s all over you like a rash.

A/N: This does not follow canon, it’s mainly fluff & lemon zest 🍋 The GIF is from Exposed, unreleased pilot show in case you’re wondering 😌... Billy vibes.

Warnings: 18+ NSFW due to sexual content including unprotected* sex between consenting adults. Some drinking & swearing.

*Irl, please don’t go wild in the country without protection.

(My GIF)

She’d find some excuse about missing evidence or statements to call him back in, or something along those lines. He was too good a catch to let him escape, and she wasn’t prepared to allow that to happen. And Dinah Madani, as anyone who knew or worked with her soon found out, was one very determined lady.

The weekend following the op, Dinah had literally just sat and wallowed in her apartment, several bottles of wine, takeout and the TV being her only companions. She stewed and stewed about the Russo Situation, as her mind categorised it. She really wasn’t going to let this lie, she was the one who should be with him.

By Wednesday morning, Dinah was sitting in her office scrolling through various witness statements again on her laptop, tapping her pen impatiently on the desk as she did. She’d spent the last two days scrutinising them.

Her mind was working overtime, trying to come up with a plausible excuse for calling Russo back in. It had to be cast-iron, otherwise her co-workers and possibly Russo would smell a rat. She started reading through an eyewitness report from just prior to the shooting; this one might do, as it mentioned seeing Russo (‘tall guy in a black army outfit’) raising his gun just before one of her team had actually shot the guy. She might be able to say she needed him to go over his exact movements at that point, as she didn’t think it had been described in micro-detail in his own statement.

Her internal phone rang, and she grabbed the receiver - it was her boss, the Special Agent in Charge or SAC. “Sir?” His gruff voice sounded annoyed, “Can you come to my office, please?” She frowned, “I’m just going over the -“ but he cut her off, “Now, Madani!” “Of course,” she replied, putting the phone down and getting up from her desk. What’s got his panties in a bunch, she thought as she left her office and headed along the corridor to his.

She knocked and heard a terse “Come in!” and entered his office. One look at his beetroot face made her wish she’d been out on a call somewhere. His blood pressure only ever got this high if some really big boulder of shit had come rolling down the hill and dropped on him.

“Siddown,” he grunted, and waited until she was sitting opposite him. He heaved a big sigh, interlacing his fingers as he placed his hands on the desk in front of him, then stared across at her.

“Dinah... I’ve received two official complaints about you.” She gaped at him. Definitely hadn’t been expecting that.

“What? Who from?!!!” she demanded. He exhaled a breath; even he’d noticed Dinah’s ‘heart-eyes’ for this guy. She wasn’t going to like this.

“Billy Russo, and a friend of his.”

“Oh, let me guess!” She said a name, “That’s his ‘friend’, isn’t it?!” He nodded, “Yes. They both allege that you acted in an unprofessional manner during the case which has just been closed.”

“Unprofessional, how exactly?” she questioned him. His beetroot face went an even more vibrant shade of red, and he cleared his throat, “Russo alleges that you made unwanted sexual advances to him, and that you... uhhh, you engaged in an act of voyeurism while he was having sexual relations with his girlfriend.”

Dinah felt a flush spreading over her face, and she huffed out a breath. “And her? What did she have to add to the mix?” He held her angry gaze, “She said you carried out a totally unnecessary interview with her, solely to obtain information about her relationship with Russo.” She couldn’t stop herself from spitting out, “Huh! Relationship!”

He raised an eyebrow at her, “Dinah, you do seem to be rather more.... interested in Russo than the casework would require? Did you engage in a personal relationship with him during the course of the case?” She crossed her arms over her chest, “No! Well, yes.... to an extent! He took me out for lunches a couple of times and drinks one night, but that’s as far as it went!” More’s the pity, supplied her brain.

“Well, Dinah, I can’t sweep this under the carpet I’m afraid, as they���ve made the complaints official. Their statements have been made and filed with Professional Standards.”

Her eyebrows rose, and for the first time, a sliver of trepidation made its way into her mind. “I see. I didn’t realise it had already been fast-tracked to them.” He shook his head, “Not fast-tracked, Dinah - just following standard procedure. They came in to speak to PS yesterday, and they’ve just contacted me as your line manager to make me - and in turn, you - aware that the complaint’s been filed.” She chewed the inside of her lip; she was having a hard time getting her head around the fact that only two days after he’d come to the final briefing, he’d returned to the office and filed this complaint.

“PS will be in touch with you to arrange a formal hearing to investigate the complaint. They’ll give you a copy of the statements made, and you’ll be able to have an advisor with you.” He looked down at his hands, before meeting her eyes again, “I’m sorry this has happened, Dinah, but it has and things have just got to take their course. I’m not going to suspend you but for the moment, until this is resolved you’ll be on desk duties only.”

Her mouth tightened, but she gave him a brief nod and managed to say almost civilly, “Yes, sir.” He leant back in his chair, “Okay, that’s all for now.” She got up abruptly and left the office, making sure she didn’t slam the door. Although she really, really, wanted to.

She walked back to her office, this unexpected development turning over and over in her mind. She carefully closed her office door, but then kicked her desk viciously, her anger boiling over. This was obviously her idea, thought Dinah, it’s got to be! She just didn’t see Billy as a complaint-filing kinda guy.

Well, his little lady friend would soon find out she picked the wrong woman to fuck with!

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Billy’s eyes opened slowly, and he stretched his arms and legs fully out, yawning. His right hand met empty space - he was by himself in the bed. He sat up and pushed the covers back, leaning over the side of the bed and grabbing his boxer briefs off the floor.

He got up and pulled them on before wandering through to his living area.... ah, there she was. Making coffee and toast for them. Moving silently up behind her like the sniper he was, he grabbed hold of her then burst out laughing as she gave a small shriek.

“Russo! You sneaky bastard, you nearly gave me a heart attack!” His mouth went to the spot behind her ear and he placed a small kiss there, before suddenly licking the entire side of her face. “Russo!” she yelled again, but he heard a small laugh at the end of it. “Mornin’, angel.” He started peppering kisses all over her face and neck, and she laughed again, “Do you want this coffee or not?!” and then just managed to grab a slice of the toast as it came flying out of the toaster. He grabbed it out of her hand and started looking around for the butter and a knife.

“Yeah okay, sweetheart, let’s have our coffee an’ toast. It’s just I didn’t get my Thursday mornin’ kiss when I woke up,” he pouted over at her. She grinned at him, “Oh my god, you know you really are the sappiest of big saps! I’m just not gonna stop calling you out on that. Big bad Marine, yeah right.”

He reached for her and crushed her up against the the worktop, kissing her ferociously and running his hands all over her. He could hear her making little mewling sounds so he upped the ante, sliding his briefs down with one hand, then grabbed her hips and boosted her up onto the counter. He pushed her long t-shirt (actually his t-shirt) up over her thighs and slid his hard-on inside her. He felt her legs wrapping themselves around his waist, pulling him closer to her and settling him in. Billy closed his eyes, head going back at the feeling of being sheathed inside her. He felt like he was losing control of himself, he wanted her so much. He began thrusting, wildly, pushing deep inside her - his brain told him he was going at it like a teenage boy on his first sexual adventure - but he couldn’t stop himself.

Suddenly, he felt himself releasing and gave a long disappointed groan, his forehead dropping onto her shoulder. “Uhhhh... no,” he groaned again, kissing her, “Sorry, angel - got too excited. Couldn’t hold it.”

She leant forward and kissed him, “No need to apologise, tiger... happens to the best of them.” He frowned, “But not to me, sweetheart,” stroking her hair back and kissing her eyebrow, “that’s a first! What are you doin’ to me, woman?!” He had seriously never come so quickly in his life. Thinking back to when he lost his virginity - 15 years old in the group home with one of the older girls - he remembered that even then he’d lasted longer. Not much longer, but still.

He smiled at her, “You know I think I am whipped,” he said, laughing.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Laughing back at him, she jumped down off the counter and ripped a couple of paper towels off the roll next to the toaster. Dampening them under the tap, she handed one to Billy and they quickly cleaned themselves up. He eased his briefs back up over his slightly damp thighs, and noticed she was going through the lower cupboards. “What’ya lookin’ for, sweetheart?” She opened another cupboard door and peered inside it, “Clorox or whatever....” He opened the cupboard door under the sink and took out a spray bottle, handing it to her with a raised eyebrow.

“Gonna disinfect yourself, angel?” he smirked at her, “I mean I know what my rep was like in the past, but I always wore a condom.” She smacked the bottle against his butt, “Just the countertop, honey... we’ve just had sex on it if you recall!” “Owww! Ahh...okay, right,” he nodded, and she grinned back at him, “I can see I’ve still got some house-training to do for my puppy.” He mock-frowned and smacked her ass lightly, “Not a puppy, sweetheart!”

“I don’t know why you object to that, Billy - puppies are cute!” He popped the toast slices back in the toaster to reheat them a bit, “Puppies piss and shit all over the place and dry-hump people’s legs!” She burst out laughing, “Wow! I didn’t realise you were so puppy-phobic, Russo!” “I’m not! I just don’t want to be compared to one,” he protested. She finished spraying the counter and wiped it all down.

Leaning up, she kissed him softly, “Oh okay... Hurt Male Ego alert!! What d’you wanna be, poppet... a tiger?” She went back to attending to the coffee. “Well, you did call me tiger earlier, so yeah - I can live with that,” he grinned. “I might just call you poppet.” He nudged his shoulder against hers, “You’d better not.” She brandished to coffee pot at him, “Try and stop me!” Just then, Billy heard his phone chime in the bedroom with a new text message.

He strolled back through there and picked it up, his mouth pulling into a line as he saw the sender’s name.

Dinah: Russo, I don’t know what game you think you’re playing, but I want to speak to you about this complaint you’ve filed.

Russo: I don’t think that’s a good idea.

Dinah: You owe me an explanation.

Russo: Do I? And an explanation about what? It’s quite straightforward.

Dinah: No it isn’t. You meet me tomorrow at the Chelsea Piers, 10 AM. Then you’ll be nice and close to your little girlfriend and you can go running back to her afterwards.

Ouch, thought Billy, someone’s still jealous.

Russo: OK I’ll meet you for a 5-minute talk and that’s it.

Dinah: And keep this to yourself, Russo.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Billy walked back through to the kitchen, tapping his phone on his chin as he went, deep in thought. Did he tell her about this, or just keep quiet? He couldn’t work out why Madani was so insistent on an actual meeting. His gut told him nothing good could come from this, he just knew it. He wasn’t absolutely sure of the details, but he was under the impression that Madani should not be in contact with him when there was an active complaint against her. He’d better be damn careful when they met tomorrow.

She’d finished pouring the coffee and buttering the toast and turned to him with a wide smile as he reappeared, holding out a plate and cup to him, “Here you go, poppet.” He took them from her, smiling back and shaking his head, “Poppet! Do I really look like a ‘poppet’?!” he said, following behind her as they left the kitchen area. He leant forward and planted an open-mouthed kiss on her neck. “You look like a big sap,” she laughed back, “but a very sex-ceeee one in just your briefs,” and rubbed her body up against him, making him groan.

As they made their way over to his sofa, he thought to himself that maybe he’d just stay silent about it, his angel was in a good mood and he didn’t want to place a black cloud over the day. Both of them had decided to have a day off from work, he had plans for the two of them and he didn’t want to spoil it all. He made up his mind as he looked over at her, she was smiling at him and his stomach did a backflip as it had been doing a lot lately.

Yeah, he’d just not mention it.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

@blackbirddaredevil23 @galaxyjane @omgrachwrites @behindmyeyes-insidemyhead

[joe-young-stories]

A Week.

Hey, new to tumblr. This is something I wrote in an enclosed, dodgy Christian community in 2018.

The last time I saw Dad in person I was seventeen, and I’d either just finished my A-levels or I was halfway through them. I’d seen him a year before, for Grandad’s funeral. After we’d got home from the wake I’d nicked a crate of Guinness, and thrown up on my suit. I’d thrown up all over the guest bed as well, and I’d left all the empty cans in the waste paper basket. I told my dad that the emotional stress of the funeral must have affected me, and I didn’t really give a shit about the fact that he knew.

This time it was summer, and it was that one week of the British summer that is actually scorching hot. Dad was waiting for me at Oxford train station for my visit. Visa Skank was there too. Visa Skank is my dad’s Russian wife, and perhaps she married him for a visa or perhaps she really loves him. I’ve never actually had anything against her. It was rude, offensive, calling her Visa Skank, but it made me feel really savage and clever back then.  This day at Oxford train station she was in her late forties, and she was wearing this shimmer- shimmer peach linen halter top harem pants combo thing with a dainty cream pashmina and a big floppy straw hat. She was basically just easy mockery.

We went straight from the station to this ultra quaint Riverside pub/restaurant garden. I had Peronis. I had a burger too. We didn’t really have a conversation because Visa had seen a picturesque riverside photo opportunity, and she had my dad take pictures of her next to a drainage sluice for almost an hour, at different angles and filter settings. At the end we walked back through the pub to get to the car and she started draping herself mystically around rustic beams and cosy fireplaces, or sat herself next to like, napkin dispensers that pleased her. And my dad took more pictures. I just wanted to get back to the house. I don’t remember too much more from the meal.

In the daytimes that followed I fell into a routine. Dad would wake up late (his teaching job at the schools wasn’t on) and he might mooch about or he might go into Oxford, or he might just go to Headington High Street. Visa Skank had a busy social schedule attending a young mum’s social club in the Florence Park Cafe. She would spend a lot of time there. I would wake up and take a walk into Central Oxford. And I would stop for a pint in the White Horse, where we used to go for Lunch when I was little. In town I would walk the old streets around the Radcliffe Camera, and this was back when I had academic ambition before I stopped caring about most things, and the scholarly atmosphere excited me. I walked past the cathedral boys’ school – my first school—and into the Eagle and Child, or the Kings Arms, or the Turf Tavern. I would read Franz Kafka stories or Iris Murdoch novels or I’d listen to pretentious students talk shit and praise myself for being more intelligent than them. After a few pints I’d saunter back over Magdelen Bridge and back up towards the house in Headington.

Dad’s house had changed a lot over the years. The retro porn PC used to be in the dining room, and all my 9 year old self used to do at my dad’s was either play SimCity on that computer or watch Dad’s porn. He’d archived literally thousands of pictures, all categorised according to hair/boobs/race etc. Albums of particular stars. I got up early at that age, and if you were proper stealth about it could get up with the dawn and watch a four second clip of a woman getting pleasured by a mechanised shoe buffer. Only if you were stealth though. The computer screen could be seen from the stairs via the dining room mirror. You had to listen for footsteps. God forbid that Visa or even Grandad would walk in. View me wanking it to Dad’s shoe buffer porn.

Now though the house layout was different. Grandad had been a cantankerous twat since Nan died, and all he ever did was sit in the living room watching cartoons and chat shows. GMTV, Pokemon, Digimon, Homes under the Hammer. That was all I ever saw him do on visits to my dad’s.  I left him to it.

But he started losing control of his faculties, and Dad and I would walk in from the pub to a stray smell of nappies, the CBBC channel playing in the background. His osteoporosis got worse. The last time he was alive I was seventeen and he’d been moved to a hospice. He was half asleep next to his colostomy bag but he murmured a greeting and a goodbye. The three of us, Grandad, Dad and me, sat in near silence for approximately fifteen minutes. “Good to see you, Grandad,” I said to him as I was leaving. Grandad had written “to a very impressive grandson” on my birthday card seven months previously.

While Grandad was dying his house was being renovated. The dining room and kitchen had been knocked together into this rustique farmhouse experience, with a big beaten up pine table, a pine dresser and a freshly installed aga. An aga in a nineteen thirties semi. There were a lot of wholesome wicker baskets bought in and gooseberry jam jars were placed in them for effect. Next door the garage was knocked down and a den/conservatory/stargazing lounge/music studio was built. The living room, where Grandad watched all the kids TV, and which I was told was always going to be “His Space” had had all the carpets ripped out and new sofas put in. Floor to ceiling bookshelves covered every wall, and they were all full of this intelligentsia Russian shit no one read. The retro porn PC was upstairs in Dad’s bedroom now, so after I got back from Oxford that last week I’d sit in the conservatory on my laptop. Sometimes if my dad was around I’d bring up an attractive female friend’s Facebook profile and wait for him to ask me about it. He’d talk about organic food and hand picking your own raspberries, and how Russian customs and traditions were the best way to live. But most of those afternoons he was upstairs in his bedroom checking his email, which took about two hours and was a pretty full-on activity for him. If Visa was at home she’d make still life displays from Kitsch crap she found in charity shops. And she’d do photoshoots. Most of the time she was out though. Presumably with the young mums.

When I was downstairs on my own I would drink from the many, many bottles available on the farmhouse shelf. I never drank in front of Dad, but I’d never bother hiding how drunk I was getting either. A little bit of gin, little bit of vodka, whiskey, white rum.

I’d always done this. When I was about twelve, thirteen, fourteen I’d go through Dads bedroom and raid his wardrobe. I’d find his extensive magazine stash and his books on “Tantric Passion”, “The Multi Orgasmic Man”, “Make Her see you Mean Commitment”. I’d find the hamper full of Bombay Sapphire bottles; I never questioned the water bottles full of urine next to his bed. I wasn’t subtle. I’d try and incite his scorn, his discipline, his parental authority. I’d find glow in the dark condoms in his bedside drawers, and I’d take them out of the packets and leave them under his pillow like a treasure hunt. I would neck a bottle of chardonnay, refill it with tap water and leave it in the fridge for him to find. He’d look at the bottle, look at me, deliberate and stammer “I must have rinsed it out for recycling and put it back on autopilot.” I don’t think he knew me well enough to confront me. He once drove me back to mums with me throwing up ass the way down the M40, and we both agreed that I must have eaten some “ropey” quiche.

I didn’t want Dad to parent me anymore; I just didn’t really care. So while Dad was upstairs checking his email I’d access the WiFi and watch naked men beat each other, and I’d masturbate and drink gin. I think on the Tuesday of that week he found me full-on passed out in the stargazing conservatory, sleeping it off. Later on he’d said something about travelling being exhausting, especially across London, and it always took a few days for the mind to properly relax on holiday. I agreed.

In the evenings we’d go out to a pub, the Vicky Arms or The Chestnut or something. I would tell Dad what A levels I was doing. I’d namedrop attractive female friends quite a lot, and talk about parties I went to with them. I’d wait for him to be like, “Are they pretty?”, “Are they into you?”, “Like yeah, get in, my son!”, “Well done, boyo!” and things like that. Visa would come with us. She’d sit there in peach tracksuit bottoms and some kind of burgundy flamenco/matador top, and she would say things like, “Never microwave food because it changes the molecules. Did you know this? We go through a recipe book and you will find meals you would like to try.” We might order popcorn from behind the bar. Visa might demand a photo shoot of her next to an inspiring sunset or whatever.

At home Dad and Visa would go to bed in Grandads old room. Nans room, now the guest bedroom, was being fitted with a “Roman balcony” so I slept on a blow up bed in the living room with all the Russian volumes. I’d drink more whiskey and watch a comedy show about teenage lesbians.

That was it, really. The last week I saw my dad was fairly uneventful. Mundane. If it wasn’t for the fact that it was the last time I saw him I doubt I would have remembered it

Only two events stand out in particular. On the Thursday of that week Dad was playing at a jazz and tango concert at a bar/club in Wantage. He did concerts like that to keep money coming in when the schools weren’t on. Visa took tango lessons down at the community centre, and she’d met a new friend and tango partner called Allan. He had had a stroke and divorce in a five year period and had taken early retirement, so I was told. So I was briefed. Briefed why? I didn’t care.

Allan met us at the house. We all sat about having a back garden beer and then Dad and I set off for Wantage. Allan’s and Visa came later, in Allan’s car, which he could still drive all post stroked up apparently. We had another pint in a pub in Wantage. Dad introduced me to the concept of a “Session Beer”. Advice I have never followed.

Dad gave me money for the evening and then left me to my own devices. I sat on the balcony and drank a lot of Stella, and from my vantage point I could see Dad playing onstage. I could see Visa and Allan as well, and she had her head on his shoulder and he was holding her close around the lower back. This didn’t look particularly tango-ey, but Visa had told me on one pub evening that tango was more about feeling than steps. “Feeling. Yes?” she had said with gusto. This was the passion of the dance I was watching, then. Dad had told me in the car that tango was Allan’s hobby, it’s what got him out the house, like his physio. I looked at Dad, and he was playing some sassy chords on the piano, watching the two of them become one with the dance. He didn’t do anything else. He just sat there, watching them get on with it. I finished one of my Stellas, and later on I thought to myself that he looked like a drooping bunch of flowers in a vase, half dead. A bit sad, maybe. A bit lacking. I was quite proud of myself for thinking of that. It felt very grown up.

Two days later we were having a back garden beer, Dad and I. The garden had changed, and where a swingset once stood there was now a very wholesome vegetable plot. Beyond that was a washing line. It was one of those washing lines with one pole in the ground, and it folded out like an upside down pyramid. You could spin it around for ease of pegging/unpegging. I looked at the washing line and remembered my eight year old self playing by it. I had been playing with a football. I was staying with him for a few weeks or so over the summer. I was out there, by myself, with the football. But I liked to pretend I was playing with all the other children I knew from school. Kids who were actually busy with their own friendship groups or who called me poofty boy by the wildlife pond. But when I was playing with them by myself they were all like, “I did not see this coming! We have not appreciated your serious skills! Hey guys, check out this Baller!” and none of them called me a poofty boy by the wildlife pond.  

I had devised a game where you had to throw the ball into the opened up washing line to score a point. Dad came outside just as I was about to land the sickest shot from ten feet away, the shot which was going to blow George and his gang away, and was going to make Sadia and Carrie-Ann think I was total boyfriend material. He asked me if I wanted anything to eat.

And I really don’t know what came over me, but I said something along the lines of “I’m playing a game. We have to get the ball off each other and get it in the net. Do you want to play?”                          

“Oh, right!” was something like he said “Yes alright then, I will”. I’d never played a game with Dad before, and we were both a bit hesitant. Like, do we just…start, or what? I chucked the ball at the line and missed, and he grabbed it. We ran around the garden, playing the game. He scored a point. I scored a point.  At one point he wrestled me to the ground to get the ball off me, and then helped me up. I remember laughing and smiling, being out of breath. I was tense, too. How did things like this come to a logical end? Did, like, the session finish?  Was there a way for this to end without Dad having to just be really rude? Like: “I’m sorry Joe, but I need to stop doing this at this point and go back to my day. You are welcome to continue though.” How did it work? After approximately fifteen minutes it mercifully started raining, and we went inside. It was the only time we ever played the game.

Sitting and having a beer with my dad that last week was the last time I looked at the garden, or indeed spent any time with him. Halfway through our drink Visa came out of the stargazing conservatory doors, and she was wearing a floor length lacy white gown, a white bonnet and silky white gloves. She was carrying a large wicker hamper, and she put the hamper down and pulled out a silver teapot. “I am English lady at tea,” she said, and she raised the teapot in the air. Then she laid the patio table for a country manor high tea, and started demanding a photoshoot. I went inside.

The next day I was due to go home. I woke up that morning to find that I’d drunk too much and pissed the blow up bed. I put my soggy boxers in a plastic bag, and I covered the damp sheet with my duvet and left it to fester.

I hardly spoke to dad after that week. There was no reason to most of the time. I rang him twice to ask for money, once to say merry Christmas can I have some money and once to tell him I’d just left rehab. In 2018 I had written to him to tell him he was a cunt and I wanted to burn his house down. “Past wounds” with my Father had become a significant part of my “Life Story” by that point, and I thought that sending such a horrible letter might activate a Life Event in some way, some dramatic finale.

Dad has always had his settings such that I can’t find him on Facebook, so I have to log in as my mum to see his profile. Him and Visa quote Oscar Wilde and Shakespeare sonnets on each other’s pages. Visa’s profile has about 64 photo albums. They’re all called things like “Casserole dishes on the patio”, “Beauty In Autumn”, “Sensuous mermaid has adventure”.  Her name isn’t actually Visa Skank. All the photo albums are silly and innocuous. When I’m drunk, or self pitying, or feeling like a victim, or all of the above I sometimes find myself thinking about the game me and Dad played with the washing line and the football.

[snow--blanket]

paper cranes

word count: 4709

fandom: ikemen sengoku

characters: akechi mitsuhide  ***

A touch. A touch was all it took to pull the rug under his feet, and the next thing he knew; Akechi Mitsuhide ceased to be. The walls of the temple stretched itself like the growing shoots of a tree—bending, intertwining around him as if he was the sun. 

The walls have ears, Mitsuhide thought. The walls were witness to the arrogance that he was forced to discard, the shame at being proven wrong; the way he hailed himself above the rest for not believing in gods and curses. Although the way it regained sentient was unnatural, Mitsuhide thought that the manner he was swallowed into the old, disserviced inches of bamboo was not unlike a mother’s touch—it was as if someone had welcomed him home.

The mere thought was preposterous. He never had such a thing. Plus, to be welcomed home was to connote that he’d have one in the first place. 

The winds of season treated him differently now. In spring, the world was a painting. Children wreathed poppies into flower crowns and the kimonos they wore had the buddings of childishness—streaks of colour fingered across a blank canvas. In summer, the wheat that bent golden turned to ash and the veins of rivers dried up like an old well. In autumn, it was the time of passing; where the sun coloured the leaves red and orange, eternal dawn and dusk. Winter put everyone to slumber, and Mitsuhide noticed that the number of people who had come praying to him had increased. 

Inari, they called him by the name they gifted. Bless our harvest and I will pray to you for a hundred years. The venomous, seductive lie was one he knew too well, and it was like staring into the mirror. 

He noticed that the nobles and lords had no need for gods. After all, why would they rely on prayers when they could afford more medicine, more logs for the hearth when the cursed storm walks among the lands that tore roofs off houses and stole children from their parents? 

The old and sickly swore by his name in hoarse voices; although Mitsuhide could not see what they looked like, they would always wear their voice to ruination, throat swallowing sand. it was the mark of the desperate, Mitsuhide knew. He’d heard it many times before, saw the way their eyes looked at him like he was a lantern guiding the path—taking his extended hand as he fell with them to vice. 

Mitsuhide was the kind of person who liked to know what was happening, so he often sent his fox messengers into the village, their white fur pale like full moons. Eventually, though, some children follow the foxes back to the temple, and they talk about him, Inari, and how a god became so useless and unliked, and they speak of the curse that had befallen arrogant men. 

Mitsuhide pays no heed to their words, instead tucking the information in the back of his mind, where he would revisit them later. 

One day, when his messenger has not returned to him, he hears a thin voice cut the silence he’s cocooned in the walls he is trapped in. “Hello?” The voice asks. “Is anyone there?” The question sits in front of him like an opportunity, and he opens his mouth to answer.

“There is.” He could not see the expression on her face, but he is entirely positive she is looking troubled. He feels his smile widen. “What brings you here, little one?”

“I—” The girl fumbles with her voice, as if stumbling with the truth in her hands in an attempt of honesty. She is folding her voice like paper cranes, a sincere appeal. “Your fox was hurt. I only came here to return it to its home.”

Mitsuhide raises an eyebrow. “That is all?”

“Yes,” she pauses, and he imagines her nodding. “That is all.” He hears her feet shuffle towards him, hears the pitiful whines of his messenger in her arms before gently being descended onto the old wooden floors. She takes a few steps back, clears her throat. “Goodbye.” Before he could answer, she has already left, the telltale signs of hastiness kicking up the dust she trailed behind. 

His messenger limps to him, whimpering. Mitsuhide can not offer a comforting hand, so he simply says: “Excellent job.” To those who had not known him, the words rang in a condescending manner—however, the fox simply sighs out a content yowl, happy to have been of use.

The next day, a man visits the temple and his head is touching the ground. Mitsuhide can barely hear his voice, what with the distance between them. “Please extend your mercy, Inari-sama!” Now that Mitsuhide is a god, he cannot read people as well as he used to. Did this man look heartbroken? Did desperation carve itself into his aging lines? It was easy to lie when you did not have to face the guilt of bearing it. “Bless my journey out of this wretched village!”

“Oh?” Here was a man of corrupt faith—using prayers as a scapegoat for pure reason, taking actions in the name of righteousness and calling it justice. Mitsuhide hates such a person. Dishonesty with people was one thing; dishonesty with oneself was another. Mitsuhide has long ago accepted that he would never be received with warmth, and here was a man who thought himself deserving of blessings. If he still had a body, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to stop himself from shattering this man’s flimsily built world. “I refuse.” Mitsuhide has never felt the need to raise his voice. He was a man of few words and confusing actions, but no one could deny that when he spoke, everyone listened. It was akin to seeing ghosts amongst trees. You simply couldn’t help but stare.  “Disappear from my sight.”

He hears a silent ‘tsk’ from the man before he removes himself off the ground and walks away as if there was a stone tying his shoulders down. “Have you a wish, little one?” 

Perhaps the girl has forgotten she was in the presence of a god. She stammers and stutters, and Mitsuhide’s smile comes easy. “Why did you refuse him?”

“Why should I accept?”

There is a brief pause, before she shoots back: “Why shouldn’t you?” The words surprised him. Never in a hundred or so years had a human spoke back to him. It was as if she noticed the same thing, and so she mumbled an apology. 

Mitsuhide lets out a light laugh. How fun was she to toy with. “Because, little one, he is a liar.” 

He felt her stare as much as he heard it. “What do you mean?”

If Mitsuhide had a body, he would wave his hand dismissively. “‘Bless my journey’? What carefully chosen words.” His little fox messenger sidles itself against the girl’s legs, a happy trill sounding. “That man stole funds from an orphanage and was planning to escape the village with his ill-gotten gains. Dare I say, someone like that needs not blessings, but a curse. No?”

Mitsuhide makes a mental note to thank the girl for this information. Had she not returned his fox messenger to him, he wouldn’t have known. Sometimes, he hated his formless body.

There was silence in between them, the god and the naive human. Mitsuhide stifles a sigh. She could not possibly have understood his reasoning, and he is fine with that. His decisions didn’t stem from what others thought of him, after all.

“Why?” she finally asks. 

“Why what?”

The girl steps towards him, and he hears the clip-clop sounds of her sandals as she discards them, sitting down near him uninvited. “The villagers said you don’t care about us.” 

Mitsuhide smiles again. “It is easy to assume so when one does not help others in need of them.” Humans are selfish and narrow-minded creatures, after all. From his observation, humans have had to overcome two things: the mentality of me versus everyone, and us versus them. If someone did not help you, you were instantly categorised as the latter part, and consequently treated in hostile manners. Even after living for hundreds of years, this did not change. It was disappointing, but Mitsuhide did not mind being misunderstood.

“Yeah, but—” her voice is hesitant. “You do care. You didn’t want the man to get away with his crimes, didn’t you?”

Mitsuhide cocks a brow. “A bold assumption. What makes you think I care about what does and does not happen to that man?”

“You didn't help him.”

“I do not help wounded animals, either. It is simply apathy.”

“That's different!”

“How so?”

“You—” she gathers her composure. “You can’t help them. That’s why. It doesn’t mean that you don’t want to.”

Ah, again, Mitsuhide wanted to laugh. Humans were so intriguing. He met one man that tried to use him and here was one that wanted nothing more than to believe him kind. What darling creatures they were. “Intentions do not breed kindness, little one. Only actions.”

He cannot see what she looked like, but he imagines her pouting. “I'm not a child!”

“Of course not, my dear.” he smiles, and he almost wished she could see how truthful he was. “It is normal to judge things based on the criteria that we are most used to. You’re not a child, but you do have the innocence and the heart of one. It is not necessarily a bad thing. It is refreshing, almost.”

There is silence again, and he does not need sight to know that she is blushing. “I'm leaving,” she harrumphed, and that brings a smile to his face. 

Strange god that he was, he blessed her journey, even though she did not ask him to. Who could blame him, really? He was allowed to pick favourites.

The next day, the girl appears again, in less-than-subtle ways. She did not make her presence known, only making sounds with her straw broom, sweeping away the fallen leaves. Mitsuhide used to have followers, long time ago, that did the same thing, and he distantly wondered if this girl was trying to use him like they did. 

“And your wish, little one?”

She stops her sweeping and he feels the distinct, loathing glare she sent his way. “That you stop calling me little!”

“I'm afraid I can't fulfill your wish, since I do not know your name.”

“Mai! it’s Mi-zu-sa-ki Mai! Read as blooming water and dance!”

“With that voice, I am inclined to call you little mouse instead.”

She groans, and Mitsuhide feels himself becoming a little more human again. How long was it since he’d had a playful interaction with a human that didn’t try to leech off him?

“I told you mine.” she huffs out in indignation. “Tell me yours.”

“Your villagers have already given me a name.”

“That doesn’t count!” He hears the sound of wood hitting wood, and realises that she has paused her sweeping to focus on him, instead. The attention almost makes him blush. Being a god is really tremendous work when you forgot you were once human, too. “What is your real name?”

Mitsuhide indulges in her voice, relishing in the way she had expressed true interest in what he was instead of what he was for others. “Mitsuhide. Read as ’excellent light’.”

Even though Mitsuhide does not care much about the opinions of others, he felt a little squeamish at her silence. He instead chose to squash any feelings of returning her interest, boxing those thoughts of “affection” into the back of his mind. Finally, she says: “It's really pretty.”

The praise certainly wasn’t poetic or linguistically intricate in any way, but Mitsuhide feels his heart pound painfully anyways. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” she says, and he wondered what it felt like to be her; sunlight compressed, hearing the smile in her voice as clearly as he could imagine it. Mizusaki Mai. Read as blooming water and dance. In his mind, she was as unflinching as the sunflowers facing north, and even when the gentle spring wind was replaced by the storms—she continued to blossom.

He shuts the lid on these thoughts, swearing to never reveal them to her. “So, little mouse?” He smiles, and he didn’t stop to wonder why smiling around her felt so natural. “Have you a wish for me today?”

“It’s not like you’ll grant it anyways.”

He laughs. “Clever, little mouse.” There was the softness of morning dew in his voice. “Very clever.”

“I'm here,” she says, her words bubbling at the surface like a babbling river, “Because I thought you’d be lonely.”

“However did you come up with that idea?”

“I don't know,” The words were spoken softly and with humility at the presumptuous thought that he was feeling as such. “I don’t know. I would feel lonely if I were you.”

“Alas, my dear, you are not me.”

She hums noncommittally. “I guess.” He feels the floorboards creak under her movements, and her voice is closer this time. “Do you mind if I stay anyways?”

“Are your friends not good company?”

“They are, but…” she trails off meaningfully. He didn’t need her to finish the sentence. Humans are as fragile as they are brash, after all. Some of them are too shallow. Some too cowardly. Some too self centered, some too much of everything for someone like her. “You don’t need my permission, little mouse. It’s not like I can stop you from coming anyways.”

“I would hate it if I was the only one that enjoys talking to you,” Such soft words and chosen so kindly, the noble way she looked for permission out of consideration of his own feelings. It was something he never experienced, even when he was human. 

Mitsuhide smiles. “I quite enjoy our talks, fret not.”

Her movements are abrupt, and he can hear her short intake of breath before she spoke. “Really?”

“Really.” One word that contained the warmth and affection of a kindling, heating someone up from fingertips to the ends of each individual hair strand. 

“Thank you.” Her breath was a hummingbird’s feather, and it touches him like summer melting away the snow.

“Mai!” The distant yell surprised both of them. “Where are you!?” The voice came from beyond the forest, and it belonged to an adult man.

“Coming!” she yelled in response, and he hears the clackity clack sounds of her sandals in haste. “Bye, then. See you tomorrow, Mitsuhide!”

Before he could tell her the same, the sound of her heels became more and more distant. 

Even though she does not wish for it, he blessed her journey back home anyways. 

He measures the days not with the help of his fox messengers now, but with her presence. She visited him around afternoon time when the sun was high, and she left him when dusk broke. 

It became clear to him that she genuinely enjoyed his company, and he enjoyed hers. He didn’t know what to do with that information, so he simply kept quiet.

“Hey,” she says one day. “Why do you hate the villagers here?”

Mitsuhide pauses to consider it. “Hate is such a strong word. I prefer nonchalant.”

“Fine, we’ll go with that then.” It took her no time at all to get used to his nitpicky way of speaking, and he feels his heart pound strangely at that. 

Contrary to the feeling of love in his chest, he says: “Because humans are selfish. they pray and wish and when all is done, they congratulate themselves instead of offering gratitude for the people that helped them.” He knows he was talking about himself at this point, but she didn’t need to know that. “Their ambitions are blood in the water, and they bare their fangs and teeth when push comes to shove. Flighty, selfish, inconsistent—I find such traits tiring to deal with.”

“Hmm,” she stops swinging her legs then, pausing thoughtfully. “So you don’t hate it if they were thankful about it?”

“No, because I have accepted that it’s human nature to think of themselves highly when they’ve achieved something. I only detest their reliance on prayers and wishes. If I want something, I will go get it myself instead of buying good luck charms on new years’ eve, or putting my head on the ground and beg.”

“That kinda defeats the purpose of a god, don’t you think?”

“Maybe so. But it is my truth.”

“Well, to some others, prayers help, y'know?”

“Useless hope?”

“If it’s in something they want to believe in, then it’s not useless. As much as it was wrong of me to assume you were lonely, it’s wrong of you to assume that they are all shallow in their thoughts. True, there are some bad people that will try to take advantage of you, but I say it’s balanced out by the people that help you, too.”

Mitsuhide feels cynicism snaking its way to his tongue, but he bid himself patience, for he wanted to hear her thoughts. “Even something like praying can give peace. Because you believe someone can do something about it, even if you can’t. And to us villagers, who often get walked over by the nobles and kings and sword-wielders, hope is a weapon for the mind.” He felt the breath left him. “Because it’s a sign that we’re not giving up.”

There was silence between them, and he felt like the distance between them stretched an ocean away. Gentle sunflower, he thought. How do you continue to bloom? 

She must have interpreted the silence as an awkward one, for she kept apologising over and over again, leaving him in a hurry with a half-baked excuse. He smiles, and blessed her journey back to be a safe one.

She returns to him that night, where only the cry of summer cicadas could be heard. 

He recognises her by her footsteps well now; he did not ask or prod when she simply entrusted her weight of her body to the floor, sniffing and sobbing all the while. The sound breaks his heart, and he wishes that his hand would materialise and touch hers in comfort.

When she has finished crying, she sits up, hiccuping. “T-thank you… for letting me cry.”

Maybe some humour would do her good. “I don't recall being asked permission.”

An ugly snort came from her, and he hears her fist thud gently on the wall, a mock gesture of anger. “Very funny. Thank you for trying to help, though.”

Before he can protest, she said: “I know you were trying to make me angry to distract myself from my own sadness, so don’t think you can smart mouth your way out of this!” There was a daring smile at the end of her words, and he feels himself smile too. He smiled often around her.

“You’ve caught me,” he says. For a while, there was only the sound of her breaths syncing with the pulsing of stars in the sky. Nights in summer were lonely and quiet. 

Finally, she speaks. “It was because of my cat. She passed away today.” It seemed as though the mere thought of not seeing her cat again drove her to near tears. He wants to comfort her, but he was afraid of saying something wrong or unnecessary. He is fairly new to the business of comforting people, after all. He’d never done it intentionally when he was a human. Oh well. Late lessons, he thinks. 

“She was getting old. She died of natural causes, so I’m glad she was granted that wish at least.” She exhales a breath. 

Mitsuhide was perplexed. “Why did you come to me? You know I would not have any words of comfort. Would you like me to say ‘she’s in a better place now’, like the rest of them would?”

She laughs. “Actually, no. I prefer you as you are.” she shifts, making herself comfortable. “The reason I came to you is because… there was no one else that I could trust myself to. My whole family is grieving, and me crying to them about it will make it worse, y'know? My friends… are busy. Any words coming out of the mouth of people I don’t trust would sound shallow, and it would hurt me more, I think.”

Mitsuhide’s mind was throbbing, and his heart rate increased. “You trust me?”

“Don’t get me wrong! I’m not trying to make a deal with you to bring her back or anything like that! It’s just…” she sighs in melancholy. “It’s just that there’s nothing I can do about it, and thinking of you, and how you’d say ‘it won’t hurt so badly’, it just bought me comfort. I know it’s just my own selfish expectations, though.”

Mitsuhide pauses. “You’re wrong.”

“What?”

“You’re wrong.” Her assumption wasn’t unfounded, for he had planted those seeds of doubt in her all along. “I wouldn't say that.”

He hears her breath shudder, as if she was about to cry. “Losing someone you love hurts, no matter how many times you’ve become familiar with loss. It doesn’t stop hurting. We just… become stronger from it because we have to keep surviving.” He wishes he could touch her hair. “It’s okay to cry if you’re feeling sad.” He wishes he could cradle her in his arms. 

Those were the words that opened the dam once more, and she sobbed and clutched her heart in agony, crying again and again until her eyes were swollen red and dawn gave way, banishing the slightly-less-lonely summer night.

“Tell me your wish,” she says a week later.

She was lucky she wasn’t subject to his facial features, for he was sure he looked like he was balking. “My wish?”

“Yes.”

“Where is this coming from?”

“I'm getting married.”

His heart stops. “What?” Perhaps being in this heavenly form had distorted his hearing. He hopes so. 

“I'm getting married,” she says softly, like a secret she didn’t want to tell. “In two days.”

He has to remind himself to breathe. “What does this have to do with my wish?”

“It’s likely that we won’t speak much after I get married.” she sighs. “My husband-to-be isn’t very fond of my habits, you see.”

It was because of him. It was because he had taken up so much of her time that her reputation had become tainted, her name sullied as it mingled with his. How could he have been so careless? He had forgotten of the rift that had held them apart, every barrier gone to give path to mirthful laughter and teasing. What was he doing? Their relationship was forbidden. What was he doing?

“What I wish,” he summons his old human tongue now, recalling the familiar way he used to keep people at arms’ length. “Is for some peace and quiet.” The words were polished sharp like knives. 

He felt her falter. “I—”

“You were fun as a momentary pleasure, but unfortunately now that you’re about to be wed, I see there’s no reason to keep you around anymore. I do not intend to harbour hopeless children in my temple.”

Please hate me, he pleads. Please don’t stay. 

He hears her choke on her sobs, hears the way she wanted to speak but feared that the words that would come tumbling out were simply pathetic whimpers. Her weight lifts off the floorboards, and he hears the sound of her sandals become distant. 

He blesses her with a safe journey home.

This is good, he thinks. This is what’s best. 

The days returns to being a blur again, and he had no way of telling the time. Life with her had been so colourful that he became unused to living in a palette of greys and midnight. He sends his fox messengers to check up on her every so often, and they returned to him with stories of how she looked happy, adorned in beautiful robes that were like a painted festival. 

It is the day of her marriage, and he hears the crowd cheering and drinking long into the night, truths spilling out like seafoam. They call her a beautiful bride. They call them a perfect couple. They pray that she would birth a child. They blabber about how lucky she is to have found a man that loves her for her silly, childish antics, of her running into the forest, of treating injured foxes. 

Her happiness is mine, he thinks. He would be content with this. 

At least, he should be. 

A week after the wedding, she approaches him again, and her sandals barely make any sound. They are heavy and encourage her to stand straight, her posture one of true grace. “Mitsuhide,” she says, and he almost cries at hearing her voice again. “Mitsuhide, I’m back.”

He feels like holding her close to his body, but he could not. Instead, he summons ice into his tone. “Why are you here?” It was hard, surprisingly. The summer days had melted into his being, making blood out of his marrows and not icicles. 

“It doesn't matter.” she sits down on the floors like she had done so many times. “Honestly, I hate my husband.”

He felt his spine straighten, and all his inhibitions flew out of the window. “Make a wish,” he said. “I swear, should you wish to be taken away, I will grant it.”

She laughs, and he was sure that the sound didn’t fit her appearance of a demure and courteous lady. “Nope! You’ve taught me something, Mitsuhide.” She turns, touching her hand against the temple wall. It was as close as she could be without physically touching him. “If I want something, I should grab it myself.”

The wish isn’t for you, he thinks. It’s for me. It’s out of my own selfish desire to keep you safe and happy, and I am sorry for being in love with you.

He has no words to say to that, and he feels his heart pound, heavy with longing and the desire to caress her cheeks. She presses her forehead to the wall, and he swore the phantom of his felt it. “I promise I’ll come back to you. Will you tell me what your wish is?” The words ended in a whisper, so sweet yet tempting at the same time.

“A promise.” It is impossible. “Promise that you’ll always be with me.” It is impossible. She was just a human and he was someone unburdened by time. 

He felt her smile then, sunflower incarnate, and his mind went blank. “I promise.” He bids her goodbye under the lonely summer afternoon, and he blessed her journey back home for the last time without knowing.

From summer, it dipped into autumn, and in winter, his fox messenger tells him that she has died of hypothermia. They tell him that she went into the mountains to search for her child, and was found collapsed on the ground as she held her child close to her chest. 

Mitsuhide feels his senses numb, and when her family brought her corpse back to him in order to be blessed, he could not stop himself from wishing that he had his sight, if only to stare at the lifeless body of her. Sunflower incarnate that had wilted, a frosted flower now. He imagines her cheeks to be the blue of the sea, and he imagines that her skin is as cold as the day he was usurped into the temple, the stormy afterlife welcoming her as they did him.

The years pass unremarkably, until a young lady picks up a broom and brushes the leaves in the wake of his decrepit temple, forming a path. He does not know her name, but her footsteps are familiar—not at all weighted by heavy sandles.

She approaches the temple, aweing over the way it had held its shape throughout the years and the harsh seasons. “Hello?” she asks hesitantly. “My name is Mizusaki Mai. Is anyone there?”

His smile came easy, for he always knew how to when he was around her. “Yes,” he says. “And your wish, little one?”

[strongsassysexysloane]

Take me for a Ride, Jack..2

So I’ve got more assignments than I thought to do before I go to LA for Paleyfest NCIS so chapters may not come out a regularly as I originally planned.. However... This is the motorbike I have in mind..

. . . . 

To say the next half hour in Jack's office was uncomfortable would be an understatement. At least you think it was half an hour, when you turn to leave and check the clock it was only ten minutes. You sigh to yourself, Jack didn't mention anything, just down to business, asking the questions she needed and you answered. No quips, sassed remarks or winks you'd come to love. Wait, no, like. You'd come to like.

You guessed it was because time was running out on this one, any proof probably getting buried deeper and Ellie and Nick couldn't survive the married life much longer. At least that's the text you got this morning from Ellie wishing she could have one minute away from Nick. You laughed because they usually spent most weekends off together and go to the same bars most Friday nights but living together 24/7 was a bit too much.

You went and saw Kasie to see if she had any updates but you knew she didn't. With hardly any forensics to go off she was having a hard time helping with the case but you chatted for a bit, discussing Ellie and Nick's situation before your phone alerted you that a search that you were running came back so it was back up to the bullpen.

It took until the end of the day however to finally nail the guy. Ellie and Nick returned with the bad guy in cuffs. He'd had an affair with the wife, except she didn't plan on leaving her husband and this guy thought that justified murder.

"No offence Nick but this weekend. No goat Yoga, please." Ellie practically fell into her chair.

"Oh come on, it was only a few days." Nick blew her off.

"I don't care, you do more push ups than the whole office, listen to the worst music and you chew REALLY loud." The last comment made everyone laugh and Nick pouted in his seat.

"You know you're not much-" He stopped, receiving a glare from Ellie and one from Gibbs. "You're great Bishop."

"Finish your reports and hit the rack." Gibbs ordered, tapping something on his keyboard then walking out.

Thankfully after that long case you didn't get a call in for another two days. An actual two day weekend. It was a bloody miracle. You spent most of it catching up on house work, a nice breakfast with your sister and more apartment hunting.

When the call came early morning after two days rest you welcomed the call although sleeping in until 0630 would've been a nicer way to start, oh yeah and not a dead petty officer. You all caught up about what happened over your two days off while investigating the crime scene. No one had an eventful weekend, just some well needed rest done by all well except Gibbs who didn't chime in.

You, Ellie and Nick drove back to HQ while Gibbs and McGee followed a lead given to them by a neighbour at the crime scene. While walking to the entrance of the building you turned when you heard a roar, you missed that sound. It was the pur of a motorbike pulling into the carpark a few metres away. You stopped to check out the bike and the sleek woman riding her. You'd spoken in length to Nick a few times about his bike, he even offered to take you for a ride but you declined saying if you couldn't ride her, you wouldn't ride at all. He scoffed at that but appreciated the love of bikes.

Ellie and Nick stopped shortly after you but you didn't see Ellie's smirk at your expression and interest in the person- bike because Ellie knew exactly who was riding it and you had your suspicions as well. You watched as the woman stretched and slid off the bike. It was only when she started lifting her helmet, facing you, that you saw the tips of blonde hair and swallowed hard, you guessed right. She had on almost knee high black boots that covered up her skin tight dark denim jeans and a zipped up black leather jacket. You scratched the back of your neck nervously, obviously being caught, and walked a bit closer.

"We'll catch you inside Y/N." Ellie shouted at you which only made you blush harder and you waved off her, seeing Nick not so happily being dragged off.

"Like what you see?" Jack rested the helmet on her hip, under her arm and watched you approach.

"She's a bute." You nodded to the bike, the fire still burning on your cheeks and tips of your ears. "She yours?" Possibly a bit too much surprise in your voice as Jack slightly frowned.

"Sure is, I got her as a late Christmas present to myself a few months ago. Good price, she needed a few things fixed, still does but she's worth it." Jack patted the side of her bike and walked around to the back, undoing her bag strapped down.

You smile at the way she obviously calls her bike a female. "Sleek, sexy, purrs like a goddess." You want to face palm yourself after letting your thoughts slip from your lips. Jack's back is thankfully turned towards you so she cant see you drop your head back and run your hand through your hair because you know she's thinking of a sassy innuendo to tease you with.

"Who told you about me?" She grins mischievously, sexy as hell, turning around, slipping her bag on her shoulder.

You can't help the smile that spreads across your face along with the still evident blush and you just shake you head. "How was your days off?" Changing the subject was a safe bet and one Jack thankfully went along with.

She shrugged her shoulders as you walk side by side into work. "Only got yesterday off because Dawson's team needed help the day before but I'll probably get this weekend off unless your case needs assistance. But I spent most of yesterday under her, covered in grease but it was worth it. As you said she purrs like a goddess now, just like me." You bump her shoulder for the sassy remark.

"I'm never going to live this down am I?" Truthfully, you hoped she never did.

"Not in the foreseeable future, no." She bumps your shoulder and you just discuss the case as you ride the elevator up to the bullpen.

"Let me know if you need any profiling done or need to bounce some ideas around." Jack smiled, winked and kept walking up to her office as you turned into the bullpen.

"Did she take you for a spin?" Nick smirked from resting his hip on Ellie's desk.

You shake your head with a smile, thankfully the blush had vanished once you exited the elevator. "No, like I told you. I drive, I'm not a passenger." You drop your bag behind your desk and walk back over to Ellie's.

"We thought you might change your mind, considering..." Nick trailed off, nudging his chin upstairs, obviously in the direction of Jack's office.

"We?" You look over to Ellie with a raised eyebrow.

"Think the whole office knows you two have a thing. The flirting is glaringly obvious." Ellie leans back in her chair, fiddling with a pen in her fingers.

You try your best to hide a smile but it fails. "We do not have a thing."

Thankfully the subject is dropped as Bishop gets a lead. Torres walks back to his desk, actually doing some work before Gibbs and McGee gets back. You go down to Kasie to see if she has anything but the evidence was just being categorised and you help her sort through a few things.

It isn't long before Ellie and Nick follow a lead on a suspect that the victim had a bar fight with a few nights ago leaving you alone in the office as McGee and Gibbs haven't come back yet.

"Need any bouncing?" She purrs as she pops up beside your desk, sipping her coffee with her spare hand on her hip.

"Nope, just looking over everyone's notes from the crime scene, writing up my report." Jack nods, walking around to stand off to your left, you can feel her hand that was on her hip move to rest on the back of your chair as she looks over your shoulder. You feel her thumb brush against your back, thinking it's by mistake but then she repeats the movement. You swallow hard and try your best to keep typing however you can't think straight and turn your head slightly, her hair tickles your cheek. You love it when she wears it down.

"I'm bored." She shrugs, straightening back up with a smirk.

"Surely there's some report or profile you need to do." You try your best to not lean back into her touch which is still happening against your back.

"Oh I have plenty but kitty cat needed a distraction." She takes a sip from her cup, you think you see a slight flush to her cheeks.

You snap your head up to see her smug smile. "Kitty cat?"

"Because I purr.." She says it like its the most obvious thing. You just shake your head and let a laugh slip from your lips, she's relentless.  

"Am I doing a good job?" You lean back into her touch as emphasis. Yes, definitely a flush to her cheeks, you get a kick out of it and love how the tables can turn.

Jack swallows a bit slower than normal her smugness disappearing at your bluntness. You smirk at her, the thumb movement faltering for a second. So she can dish out the flirting but when its reciprocated she gets flustered. Noted.

"I'm glad." You didn't need her reply and she huffs out a quiet laugh.

You both hear the ding of the elevator and you hold back a groan as she slips her hand off your chair. Gibbs and McGee exit the elevator with the suspect they went to question in handcuffs. McGee waltzes him down to interrogation while Gibbs walks in and slips his coat off, resting it on the back of his office chair.

"Where's Bishop and Torres?" He doesn't look up from placing his gun and badge in his drawer.

"Following a lead." You answer, going back to your report.

"No more leads?" He walks over to stand in front of your desk, looking from Jack down to your concentrated face directed at your computer screen.

"Not on my end." You look up and swear there's a slight smirk on his lips. He raises an eyebrow at Jack waiting for her to answer.

"Got nothing for you Gibbs." She sips her coffee.

"You helping Y/N with her report?" He counters. There's definitely some levity to his tone, anyone else and it would've been clipped but not to Jack. The thought made your stomach twist. You scoff and that draws the attention back to you which is the last thing you wanted. "If you got nothing better to do, McGee and I are about to question our suspect." He looks from you to Jack and turns and walks to interrogation.

"Guess I'll see you later." Jack follows Gibbs and you instantly miss her presence, miffed that Gibbs drew her away. You shake away that thought and get back to your work.

. . . . 

Again, sorry if the case stuff is blah but im trying to work on my story telling and not just jump them into bed LOL. Let me know what you think :)

[aqvarius]

[WALKTHROUGH + REVIEW + CG] Romance MD: Munechika Takado

Expectations:

To be honest I wasn’t super excited when I saw the trailer for Romance MD. I thought it was just going to be another teacher/student romance with the basic Voltage storylines where one or two events would get closer and they’d fall in love etc.). That being said, I was actually quite interested in most of the potential LIs even though they do seem quite conventional for the standard Voltage lineup (oresama, kuudere, darudere/4D, flirty, jokey but actually hardcore ossan). I do also like the character designs. The one I was most interested in was Kyogoku because I can’t place his type. He’s been described as a prodigy, not too empathetic, feisty, cute, has a chilly side, tricky, coy, shady, obsessed with Kasumi. So I think he’s actually one of those devil with an angel face types? Cute on the surface but actually a bit shady? Maybe it’s because of his character design but he just reminds me SO much of Shinonome from Her Love in the Force. I keep calling him Ayumu because of that and I think it would be interesting if they were actually similar because Ayumu is one of those characters that I think is quite unusual for Voltage games because he doesn’t completely fit into one of their usual archetypes.

Anyway, this is not about Sen. This is about Takado. I knew he was the title character for Romance MD but I still had all of my fingers crossed that we would get someone else’s route first like Finally in Love Again had Aki as the first release rather than Momoi (I think?). And some other games had title characters that weren’t the usual type (like Issei from Kiss of Revenge and Masaomi from Serendipity Next Door). I also think that the only characters released so far are Takado and Hosho (I’ve searched and searched to get CGs or ameblo posts about the other guys but to no avail). So I kinda hoped they would give us Hosho first LOL or maybe just surprise us all and give us Kasumi but alas. 

Finally, my expectations going in were that Takado was going to be the quintessential oresama type (like Eisuke/Leon) because he has that spiky brown hair look lol? I also thought the MC was going to be like the standard MC. What a fool I was…

Click below to read the full review, plus walkthrough and CGs PLUS THE ELUSIVE MC SPRITE.

Reactions:

My first reaction is that this MC (henceforth Dr. MC) is so annoying. She wouldn’t stop running her mouth, she was arrogant, she seemed a little inconsistent? The guys accuse her of being a journal junkie at the beginning and to be honest, they’re kind of right. She’s super nerdy to the point where it’s kind of over the top? Don’t get me wrong, nerds are great. I’m a researcher. I moved to a new city to study under my academic crush too. I get it. Sometimes other MCs are annoying because they’re too wholesome and earnest. This time, it got to the point where I was begging to have OG MC traits back. I almost cried with relief when I first saw her demonstrate empathy.

I think the thing that made me dislike her almost immediately was how clinically she originally described the ICU team. It sort of felt like Voltage was trying to push the ‘these guys are beautiful!’ and the ‘Dr. MC doesn’t give a fuck about real men’ points too hard and it sort of became contradictory, especially because the narrative is read through the player’s/MC’s perspective. So she had to explain how ‘objectively’ good looking they all are without gushing and thus it became this very clinical expression of their looks while also really pushing that opposing point of “but I don’t care around real men”. I think that it would have been fine for MC to appreciate how good looking they are but sort of have a ‘snap out of it’/’pull yourself together’ moment where she reminds herself what she’s here for. Like I think it’s fine and probably in fact more relatable to be able to acknowledge handsome men and be a bookworm/academically inclined and also enjoy 2D men lol. You don’t have to treat people like specimens MC 

(Just say he’s beautiful. We all know he is)

I get that they needed her to be special in some way so Matsunaga would hire her, but she could have gotten hired on talent alone. I don’t think they needed her to be all like “this kabedon does absolutely nothing to me”. Overall I think her being totally uninterested in dating doesn’t quite mesh from the perspective of the player. I’m assuming most of us play otome games because we’re interested in dating the characters or seeing them fall in love, right? The game tried to be meta and make fun of the shoujo manga/otoge tropes at least three times (e.g. kabedon, cooking for LI when they’re sick and getting close, wiping tears leading to a kiss) but honestly, I play these games to experience all that cheesy shit lol. So for me I didn’t think it was particularly clever to reference these tropes and play them off. The audience tends to play these games for these moments lmao? Right?

(I agree, Takado.)

The one thing that all Voltage MCs have, however, is persistence. And my God does Dr. MC have persistence in spades. I actually didn’t mind it too much but I think it’s because it was sort of turned into a bit of a joke so the humour kind of played a role in tamping down what might have otherwise been obnoxious (when she kept waking Takado up I was like omg just LET! HIM! SLEEP!). I do also like that Dr. MC is very competent. Her shortcomings don’t have anything to do with technical ability which is quite refreshing. In this game, Dr. MC is more just inexperienced and idealistic when it comes to the actual practice of medicine and its accompanying emotional (and otherwise) complications.

The thing that I feel is her biggest flaw is her arrogance. I know, right? A Voltage MC, arrogant?! It’s unthinkable!! Usually Voltage MCs are insecure, self-deprecating, self-doubting. At times they are competent enough, or have moments of inspiration that allow them to do well. This Dr. MC is clever, and she knows it. Unfortunately, just having read lots of journals does not a good doctor make. Luckily, she becomes more likable when she finally gets taken down a peg and actually starts listening to Takado. I feel like Voltage tried to switch up their MC personalities (as seen with Masquerade Kiss too) but I think they tried to make Dr. MC snarky and sassy but she just comes across as arrogant/rude a lot of the time, like have some respect for your seniors please. When it comes to backtalking MCs, I much prefer Ayumu’s or Toma’s (from Irresistible Mistakes) MC. But at least Dr. MC is not as awful as Luke Foster’s MC in Kissed by the Baddest Bidder. Luke’s MC is my least favourite of all time and I honestly think he needs to leave her.

Also! I think with the JP version, you can choose whether or not to have the MC sprite. In the Love 365 version, you aren’t given that choice but the elusive MC sprite does pop up randomly in one frame.

(Tbh I prefer it without the sprite bc her hair reminds me of 2015/2016 me lol)

Her interactions with the other doctors is quite enjoyable, particularly with Kyogoku and Hosho, although I have to admit they’re enjoyable because Kyogoku and Hosho are really fun. I especially enjoyed with Ekuni joined in and did like the little snippets of Kasumi time you get as well. I do wish there was more time spent in the Pen (with Kalmia!) but alas, you get what you can. Kyogoku seems nicer than I expected he would be (because I really thought he would be Ayumu 2.0 – maybe he will be in his own route, but he does come off nicer than that snarky devil Ayumu). Kasumi also seems less cold than I expected. Hosho and Matsunaga were basically how I thought they would be, and Ekuni too to some extent, although I wasn’t expecting Ekuni to be such a mum and give them custom drug cocktails to pump them full of nutrients lol. I want Ekuni (my future husband) route so badly. I’m going to end up with a whole folder of images of him with that internal dialogue board lol. I did enjoy some of her conversation with Sex Maniac/resident slut Hosho (when his route comes out I won’t forget that he went on a date with Sara from Cardio………..) as well but I feel like Dr. MC doesn’t react enough to be more interesting? I know I sound like a typical Voltage LI, you know when they’re always telling MC she’s interesting cause her face shows everything she’s thinking and they like her reactions? That me lmao. But when she does react, she overreacts. Like, she doesn’t react to intimate/sexual things but then she FLIPS OUT because Takado was AWOL for literally a day and she thinks he died. You know what, he wasn’t even AWOL, he was literally on his day off. Take a chill pill, Dr. MC - maybe Ekuni can whip up a special sedative blend for you.

Now, Takado… Takado is basically Kaga from Her Love in the Force as a doctor. Sadist, reputation as a murderer, relies on his intuition, has a violent tendency with MC, misunderstood but doesn’t care. His version of Kaga’s Iron Claw is hitting you on the back of the head, usually with a file. I really thought he was going to be an oresama type but he’s more of the rogue sadist type. I thought he was not that interesting until I finally got to chapter 17. Naturally he’s ~damaged~ lmao. But actually I enjoyed learning about his backstory. I expected him to be so bonesaw-happy because he hadn’t acted quickly enough in the past and it led to someone’s death that could have been prevented if he’d just taken their limb. The truth is actually quite a bit more complicated than that, so I did like that it wasn’t predictable. I won’t spoil his backstory but it was definitely an interesting take on the doctor-patient relationship and worked well to help Dr. MC overcome her naïveté. I will say that I feel like the number of amputations actually increased throughout the route lmao.

Speaking of HLITF, the route definitely took on an action spin that I wasn’t expecting. I was surprised that Romance MD is categorised in the Action section in Love 365 but I think the story ended up going in a direction that I’d expect from HLITF or MSB (or Metro PD? I haven’t played that though so idk) and it was quite thrilling and surprisingly dramatic. Also, as per usual, the gap moe is real with Takado. Voltage loves employing gap moe with their characters, but especially the oresama and stoic types.  

Additional note: Something I really hate about Love Choice is that a lot of the time the LI backstory is hidden in a heart scene and you can only find out the truth if you pay for it. However, the route reverts back to the main text so it seems like you (MC) know what’s happened even if you (the player) don’t.

The dynamic between Takado and Dr. MC actually ends up being quite fun even though sometimes I think Dr. MC is just being disrespectful. They bicker like an old married couple. It’s like what Kaga and MC would be like if she ever dared to speak up against him lol. Takado is like Kaga in that he expresses his love more through actions. Honestly I wouldn’t be able to pinpoint the moment he started to fall for Dr. MC even if you had a syringe of poison to my jugular. You basically only find out that he treats you differently because the other doctors have a grand old time teasing you about it. That being said, there are some nice scenes where you can spot Takado treating you specially if you squint a little. It’s fine that it’s not obvious; I think it would be out of character if he just confessed his feelings lol. Personally, I believe this is a marketing trick to get you to buy Takado PoV when it comes out.

The length of the stories (30 chapters) and the pacing did remind me of old school Voltage games which I liked. It was long enough to develop Takado, his backstory and have a plot with sufficient plot points. The length also gave the blooming relationship between Takado and Dr. MC enough time to mature without feeling too rushed. While I think this improves the story quality, it also really seems like a moneymaking ploy. That being said, at least they didn’t split the story up into two parts like HLITF 🙃.

I reread my old route reviews to remind myself how to review and I said that Goto’s route in My Sweet Bodyguard was not worth the £2.49 I spent on it. I can’t believe I only had to spend £2.49!! Regular routes in Love 365 are 400 coins which equates to £3.99 and I easily spent around £15+ on all the hearts needed for this lengthy LC route 😭. Obviously it would be even costlier if you needed to buy passes if you wanted to unlock chapters early. I didn’t keep track of how many hearts in total I spent but this ameblog says that you need 207 hearts to get all the heart scenes which translates to about £21 if you start with 0 hearts, which is honestly ridiculous. The same money could be spent on FIVE  main routes (or other 400 coin stories). Or FOUR full bundles (MS, epilogue, sequel, sequel epilogue) from Seduced in the Sleepless City (i.e. sixteen stories). Or THREE full bundles from Pirates in Love. Or basically every available route for Subaru, Goto, Ishigami or Kurosawa in MSB. 

So while you do get quite a lot of content, it is ridiculously expensive if you wanted Super Happy Ending. Don’t skip the heart scene in chapter 28 if you don’t want to miss a kiss scene. Chapter 7 “Apologize to Takado” doesn’t offer too much I believe. Chapter 22 “Ask for details” and 26 “Explain” options also don’t add too much imo. There are a total of 30 points available, so you can skip 5 points worth of heart scenes if you want SHE but don’t want to spend all those hearts.

You may like this route if you like rogue characters like Kaga and Shin from Pirates in Love. If you are really interested and are willing to pay, I suggest playing before 12/08 (12 August) to get the collector’s edition so at least it won’t feel like a waste of money. I really wish Voltage would get rid of Love Choice and just let us buy routes, but they likely never will because they probably earn so much more with LC compared to regular routes. The normal ending is good enough honestly, he actually confesses in NE and not in SHE, but in SHE you get a kiss scene and CG. I think ultimately it would be more worth saving up your hearts for another LI like Kyogoku lol... or Kasumi (but not my future husband Ekuni because I can already tell that I want him all for myself).

I forgot to make note of how many hearts each heart scene costs before I spent the hearts unfortunately so I’m just taking the word of the blogger who says it costs 207 in total. I know there quite a few options that require ~20 hearts.

ETA: I went through my heart spending history and found the prices of each heart scene 

Walkthrough and CGs below:

25 points to Super Happy Ending

Ch 1

Observe Help Takado (Love Meter +1/CG) 5 hearts

Ch 2

Wait till later. Flip back the covers.

Ch 3

Missy Takado

Ch 4

“This isn’t a conversation.” “You’re missing the point.”

Ch 5

Ignore him. “It’s not every little thing.’”

Ch 6

Apologize Offer an excuse.

Ch 7

Don’t apologize to Takado. Apologize to Takado (Love Meter +2) 8 hearts

Ch 8

“Teach me!” “What’s got you in a snit?”

Ch 9

“I’m not ready to die!” “I value my time, you know!” (pick this one to see Kasumi being funny)

Ch 10

Stick a hand on the wall. Lean on Takado (Love Meter +1) 10 hearts

Ch 11

A scalpel. An aspirator (Love Meter +3) 13 hearts

Ch 12

Tail him. Chase him and shout

Ch 13

Ask Takado. Ask Kasumi.

Ch 14

Don’t ask. “I want to know.” (Love Meter +1) (pick this one if you want to hear about Takado’s backstory. If you select “Don’t ask” the first time, they will ask you again if you want to know and it costs 15 hearts)

Ch 15

Ask about the Pen. Ask about Takado. (Love Meter +1) 8 hearts

Ch 16

My duty as a doctor compelled me. I was worried about him. (Love Meter +2) 10 hearts

Ch 17

Avoid his potential wrath. Ask. (Love Meter +3) (pick this one to hear Takado’s full backstory) 15 hearts

Ch 18

Go back to sleep. Carefully sit up (Love Meter +1/CG) 13 hearts

Ch 19

Stay silent, like Takado Defend Takado

Ch 20

Stay out of it Insist on examining the woman (Love Meter +2) 10 hearts

Ch 21

“And then they’d kiss.” “And it’d get all tragic.”

Ch 22

Ignore him Ask for details (Love Meter +1) 10 hearts 

Ch 23

Give up for now Talk to Takado again (Love Meter +3) 20 hearts (fml)

Ch 24

“I’m off.” “Dr. Takado…”

Ch 25

Don’t go. Follow Takado.

Ch 26

Feel sorry for him.14 hearts Explain. (Love Meter +2) 

Ch 27

“No need.” “Tell me, then.” (Love Meter +1/CG) 15 hearts

Ch 28

Get some sleep. Stay with Takado (Love Meter +3) (kiss scene) 19 hearts

Ch 29

Call Dr. Kasumi. Don’t call him yet. (Love Meter +3) (if you choose to call Kasumi, you get a second chance to not call him which costs 22 hearts fml. If you don’t call him, you get quite a cute scene with the iCU team)

[downspiral]

* / BPD ( borderline personality damon )

lil talk about damon’s behaviour, emotional patterns and mental health! i’m categorising this as a headcanon for simplicity’s sake but this is all based on canon material, whether unintentional or not i do genuinely think he has it in canon and will sort of be elaborating on why that’s clear to me. as a disclaimer none of this is meant to excuse any of his behaviour and hopefully it won’t come off that way either, but bpd and its associated stigma is a personal topic to me, so please go in with sympathy and an open mind. under the cut bc this could get lengthy!

so to start off with i’ll just briefly explain borderline personality disorder (BPD) for people unfamiliar with it— it’s a mood disorder that has many associated symptoms with various mental illnesses like depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder, as well as substance issues, eating disorders and other personality disorders eg. antisocial or narcissistic personality disorder. it’s classed by four groups of symptoms:

emotional instability

disturbed patterns of thinking or perception

impulsive behaviour

intense but unstable relationships with others

( obviously this definition is too broad for any specific diagnosis, since everyone is different, and can’t be used alone to diagnose someone without ruling out other disorders and subjective opinion of a professional who knows enough about your behaviours to make an assessment, so from here on out i’m going to be drawing on my own experiences, and hopefully i’ll be able to articulate it in a way that makes sense, but please let me know if it doesn’t. )

***

the first and most glaringly obvious identifiers of this where damon is concerned in my opinion is a), his tendency to spiral very suddenly and abruptly after even minor triggers, such as failure, rejection or even just feeling insulted by someone he cares about, and b) his frequent impulsive behaviour, and what might be termed a lack of self-control in following those impulses - the first examples that come to mind would be his leaving for a road trip with katherine despite hating her, or killing jeremy because he was the first person he saw after feeling rejected by elena - and as he later admitted honestly, not knowing that it wouldn’t be permanent. 

so starting with a), his irrational spiralling — i’ll preface this by saying that in my own experience, my initial diagnosis where my therapist suggested BPD as a possibility was immediately after i told her that i felt my emotions were just more severe than most people’s, which is why i always felt i was overreacting to things, both bad and good, alternating with feelings of extreme numbness and dissociation which would follow immediately after as a coping method. bouncing between extremes of emotion is also something we see damon do constantly; not regarding the humanity switch detail and focusing solely on his ‘humanity-on’ behaviour, we still see him go between extremely cold, numb and uncaring (albeit often this is hidden behind deflection and humor) to deeply hurt, loving, and willing to make huge sacrifices for causes or for people. 

this is also a little muddled by the in-world lore of vampires having very heightened emotions. if you consider that damon already had BPD while a human, which is highly plausible given what we see of the decisions he made even then, then it follows that as a vampire those already-dysfunctional behaviours would be driven to extremes. this isn’t only obvious to the person watching; other characters comment on it constantly, e.g. almost any time katherine shows up, everyone immediately starts worrying if damon’s going to snap, having learned that the tiniest of things can send him into extreme behaviour, harmful to both himself - picking a fight with julian out in the open, described as having a death wish, and various suicide missions - and other people - e.g. attempting to kill jeremy and bonnie, despite it being abundantly clear that those two murders would make everything worse for him, and logically, make no sense, and serve no benefit to him. they were not thought-out decisions, not premeditated, and not something he would do in a sound state of mind, which is part of why they’re so painful to watch - they’re stupid, unjustified decisions, and seem irrational and disproportionate to whatever triggered him to make them. this also falls into the category of ‘lashing out’, something damon is frequently noted to do - often in the form of destroying or severing relationships, which may be done via simple purposeful negative interaction with someone, or doing more, genuine harm so that those relationships are ended regardless. 

this ties in both with the impulsive behaviour aspect, but also a comment elena once made which struck a huge chord with me as an identifier of BPD - she said he felt that everyone hated him, and in an attempt to face those perceptions or correct them as someone of sound mind would do, he instead tries to come to terms with the pain of that by making himself believe that they were right - ‘proving’ both to others and to himself that they were right to hate him, via doing bad things. while this particular incident was partially due to enzo’s influence and damon seeking approval from the only person he felt he could still get it from, he still had the agency to make that decision, and this wasn’t the only time where that behavioural pattern could be observed. 

the depth to which those thought processes go can sort of be seen when you consider season 8, where enzo and damon were both under the mind control of a siren, leaving only their subconscious with free will to resist. enzo’s instinct was to try and weave messages into the things that the siren had him do, knowing that bonnie would recognise them and be able to save him from doing more harm. on the other hand, damon’s instinct was to sever those relationships so completely that none of them would ever attempt to save him again, thus keeping them, in his eyes, out of harm’s way. 

i don’t wanna make this so long it’s unreadable so i’ll try and end it with this last point, which is that another symptom of BPD is latching on to one particular person - whoever might feel most significant to them at the time, whether a friend or romantic interest, though often those feelings can combine and become confused when that emotional connection is made (most obvious example being elena, who damon had a relatively good and stable friendship with, that seemingly functioned fine as it was, yet progressed into romance anyway and became destructive). when that said person is found, the intensity of your emotion leads to a usually unhealthy amount of attachment on your part - often leading to possessive, manipulative or even emotionally abusive elements of relationships that more often than not become toxic. this person becomes the sole way that you feel validation/love/approval/happiness, any good emotion at all - in a way, your brain compensates for previous and more significant traumas, e.g. parental abuse/neglect, by channelling all this emotion into the nearest outlet of love and acceptance you can find. as a result even the tiniest fraction of attention or approval from that person can completely brighten your mental state for weeks, while the tiniest perception of disapproval or neglect from them - note perception, this could be something as miniscule as a misunderstanding, a tone being read wrong in a text, a genuine mistake being interpreted as a deliberate attempt to separate - can be enough to drive you to suicidal ideation. 

obviously, whether it’s known to them or not, all this puts an unrealistic amount of expectation on the other person - one individual cannot possibly be responsible for the entire mental state of another, and will often - quite rightly - lead to the decision to end the relationship out of self-preservation. this is observed very frequently with damon’s close relationships; at some point, most of the people he’s been closest to have, with some degree of regret, been forced to write him off, because he puts too much strain on their own mental state. without significant effort to change on the part of the disordered person, sadly, this situation doesn’t usually have a resolution, because one’s own mental health is never the sole responsibility of others. it’s worth saying that most of these behaviours are done unintentionally and instinctively, as what seems the first logical conclusion in a brain that has been wired - physically, neurons and pathways in the brain have been grown by trauma that leads to those paths becoming the ‘right’ ones, rather than the healthy alternatives, which is usually what therapy’s end goal is - minimising the disordered pathways while reinforcing the positive ones, via practice of healthy behaviours and identifying bad thought processes so they can be stopped with the hope that those ones will take priority eventually. that being said, decisions that are motivated by and followed by, self-hatred, doesn’t excuse them from the harm they may cause other people. and it’s not fair - none of it is, because immediately what that situation seems to become is, ‘i didn’t ask to be this way, i don’t want to be harmful, but because i have been traumatised this is how i turned out, and now if i want healthy and good relationships, i have to work twice as hard against all my natural instincts just to ensure i come off as a person worth caring about’. 

this is getting a little off-topic, but to say - there is a stigma about BPD, often associated with emotional abuse and manipulation, and it’s too complex a topic to sum up in one paragraph, but the gist of it is that sadly in my experience there is truth to it. i feel as though my disorder increases the likelihood of me being harmful, which means i have to work twice as hard to stop it - things that seem like common sense, basic decency, human logic that comes naturally and as first instinct to many, have to be actively strived for by people with this particular disorder. so while failing to do so may happen more for those people, and thus lead to them coming off as a worse person, there is some explanation as to why - and of course that doesn’t mean excusing that behaviour, never! but, there is a grey area between ‘excusing and enabling unhealthy behaviour’ and ‘your disability grants you no leeway whatsoever’. there is a middle ground and it’s hard to find the right place to walk it, and probably differs for everyone, but for me that’s why damon is relatable, and why i think i have more tolerance for things that he’s done. 

i’ll just end this by saying that this is all one person’s experience of bpd and what i’ve observed from a few others i’ve known. i don’t speak for everyone with bpd, it’s not my call to make, mental disorder is overwhelmingly complex and hotly debated even in medical circles. but all that being said, i have recognised a lot of my own emotional experiences in damon’s and how the characters around him react to it (without the murder, obviously) and to me it is slightly more complex than ‘this is a shitty person’. thank you for reading all this if you did, it’s kind of hard to talk about, but hopefully for some this adds a little more insight into my portrayal and attachment to the character. 

[bigbadredpanda]

Chapter 115: Family Feast 2

This chapter contains a sensitive scene in the first half. I swear the rest of the extra is all fluff.

Warning for sexual assault undertones: a non-graphic rape enactment happens, it is mostly talk and there is nothing explicit. If you prefer to skip that part, stop at “he approached the bed” and go directly to “I have something to show you first”.

Family Feast 1 / Family Feast 2 / Family Feast 3

Despite having said that, the two did not find at once the opportunity to "try" in that same evening as Lan Wangji had to first have a long heart-to-heart discussion with the long secluded Lan Xichen.

Wei Wuxian had developed a peculiar habit as of late. The sleeping position he liked best has become lying on Lan Wangji, either on his back on Lan Wangji's own reclined body or facing him on his stomach, nestled against his chest. In short, if he didn't have his oversized living pillow, he was completely unable to sleep. Giving free rein to his mischief, he ransacked the Jingshi and managed to overturn a number of objects.

From childhood, Lan Wangji would unfailingly handle matters in a proper and orderly way. The characters he practised writing, the paintings he drew, the essays he penned were all neatly and tidily categorised and sorted chronologically. Wei Wuxian started with his earliest calligraphy copybook, flipping over the pages with a smile. Lan Qiren's comments written in vermillion ink caused him so much glee that his teeth hurt from laughing. However, after having turned over several thousands of pages, he only succeeded in finding a single page of paper containing one wrongly-written character. Lan Wangji had then used the entirety of another page to scrupulously copy down the proper character a hundred times. Wei Wuxian was left speechless at this, "That's so pitiful, it's not even a character I recognise."

He was still browsing these old pages slightly yellowed by time when a lantern dimly lighted the obscurity outside the Jingshi.

Despite not hearing the sounds of footsteps, Wei Wuxian expertly plunged on Lan Wangji's bed with practiced ease and pulled the quilt over his head. As Lan Wangji gently pushed the door open and came in, he was greeted by the sight of a still form inside the room who was pretending to be sleeping soundly.

Seeing the other already "sleeping", Lan Wangji's already quiet movements became even more muted as if he held his very breath. He slowly closed the door of the Jingshi and after a momentary pause, he approached the bed.

Before he could reach it, the quilt was thrown right at his face, encasing him from the waist up.

Lan Wangji, "…"

Wei Wuxian pounced to clasp the blindfolded Lan Wangji in a tight grip. Pushing him down on the couch, he exclaimed, "Surprise attack! [1]"

Lan Wangji, "…"

Wei Wuxian's hands groped and tugged at his clothes but Lan Wangji remained motionless like a corpse, letting him have his way. Wei Wuxian soon lost interest and asked, "Hanguang-Jun, why aren't you resisting at all? If you stay still like that, what's the point of me ravishing you?"

Lan Wangji's voice sounded out muffled by the quilt, "What do you want me to do?"

Wei Wuxian patiently provided guidance, "I press you down and you push me away. You fight back and you struggle stubbornly to keep your legs closed while shouting for help…"

Lan Wangji interrupted, "It is forbidden to make a racket in the Cloud Recesses."

Wei Wuxian retorted, "Then you can whisper for help. I tear your clothes as well, you have to resist desperately and do all you can to protect your chest from being exposed."

No sound came from the quilt for a while.

Finally, Lan Wangji said, "It sounds laborious."

Wei Wuxian, "Laborious?!"

Lan Wangji, "Mmh."

Wei Wuxian, "Well, there's no helping it. How about we trade places and you ravish me…"

Before he could finish his sentence, his surroundings spun with the quilt flying off and he was the one being pressed down on the bed by Lan Wangji.

Having been forcibly wrapped in the quilt by Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji no longer bore his consistently pristine appearance. His topknot and forehead ribbon were slightly askew, his fine black hair was slightly in disarray with several strands coming loose and the formerly white as jade cheek was faintly tinged with pink. Under the light, he had the appearance of a bashful and nervous beauty. But what broke the illusion was the shockingly exceptional arm strength the beauty in question possessed which was like a steel vice. Thus restrained, Wei Wuxian pleaded, "Hanguang-Jun, great Hanguang-Jun, have some mercy."

Lan Wangji's gaze was unwavering. In his eyes, two lights burning brightly seemed to be flickering but his expression remained otherwise unruffled, "Fine."

Wei Wuxian, "What is fine? A handstand? Ravishing me? Hey! My clothes."

Lan Wangji, "You asked for it."

As he spoke, he pried open Wei Wuxian's legs to insert his body between them and pressed him down before stopping. Wei Wuxian kept waiting but there was no further movement, "What's wrong?"

Lan Wangji moved back slightly, "Why do you not resist?"

Wei Wuxian wrapped his legs around his waist to prevent him from rising. Leisurely rubbing against him, he chuckled, "Oh well, there's no helping it. As soon as you press me, I can't help spreading my legs for you, I can't keep them closed them at all. Where am I supposed to find the strength to resist? You call it laborious, it's also laborious for me… Well, let's stop, come on, I have something to show you first." He took out a sheet of paper from the folds of his clothes, "Lan Zhan, I have something to ask you. How could you make a mistake writing such a simple character? Weren't you paying attention in class? Or were you too busy thinking of something else all day?"

Lan Wangji glanced at the paper without saying a word but what he meant could be read clearly in his gaze: Wei Wuxian was the kind of person whose wild handwriting was barely legible [2] and who was quite adept at denying that his sloppy work was riddled with mistakes and yet he had the nerve to find fault with him for writing a single character wrong.

Wei Wuxian feigned not to understand the meaning in his eyes and continued, "Look, you have the date written, let me think… You were 15 or 16 at the time? To still make a mistake at this age, you…"

A flitting thought on the date inscribed made him realise that it coincided with the three months he spent studying in the Cloud Recesses.

Wei Wuxian was instantly filled with delight, he deliberately prodded, "Could it be that as a little boy Lan Er-Gege couldn't concentrate on what he wrote because he could only think of me instead?"

In those days when Wei Wuxian was made to copy in the Library Pavilion as a punishment, he would spend the day making all sorts of unreasonable scenes in front of Lan Wangji, rolling about, playing possum, disturbing him by every means possible, disrupting Lan Wangji's concentration and generally making thinking difficult. Lan Wangji nevertheless perseveringly bore the burden of both supervising his copying and attending to his own studies. Under the circumstances, writing only one character wrong was truly admirable.

Wei Wuxian said, "Hey, how is it my fault? Are you blaming me?"

"…" Lan Wangji stated in a tight voice, "It is your fault!"

He let out a troubled breath, he wanted to seize the incriminating paper staining his person. Wei Wuxian loved seeing his affected expression, he promptly stuffed the paper back into the depths of his clothes, concealing it against his chest, "Come and take it if you can."

Lan Wangji put his hands inside his clothes without the slightest hesitation. And left them there.

Wei Wuxian, "So you can indeed!"

The two of them made plenty of noise for a long part of the night. Midnight came before they could manage to speak a few proper sentences.

Wei Wuxian was still lying on Lan Wangji with his face nestled in the other's neck. The only thought passing through his mind was that the scent of sandalwood on Lan Wangji's body was even more fragrant. Languidness suffusing his entire body, he squinted, "Is your brother doing well?"

Lan Wangji embraced his bare body, hand repeatedly stroking the length of his back, "Not so well."

The two of them were drenched with sweat. The caresses produced a tickling sensation that Wei Wuxian felt course from his skin to the bottom of his heart. He twisted a bit uncomfortably and from below him Lan Wangji held him tighter.

Lan Wangji said softly, "During my years of seclusion, only Brother came to talk with me."

Now the situation was reversed.

Wei Wuxian no longer needed to ask what Lan Wangji was doing during his years of seclusion.

He laid a kiss on Lan Wangji's white as jade earlobe and pulled the quilt to cover them both.

In the early morning of the following day, Lan Wangji rose at 5 o'clock as per usual.

He and Wei Wuxian had been living together for several months during which Lan Wangji had strived to correct Wei Wuxian's sleeping pattern. However, it turned out to be a futile attempt. By the time the disciples brought the hot water for the bath, Lan Wangji had already been dressed properly long before. He extracted the stark naked figure of Wei Wuxian from the thin quilt and carried him in his arms to the bath. Wei Wuxian had the remarkable ability to soak in the water while remaining asleep. As Lan Wangji gently massaged him, he took Lan Wangji's hand to kiss the palm and the back of his hand and to nuzzle his face against it, still asleep. He let out a few annoyed groans during the massage and pulled Lan Wangji to him, eyes still closed. He cupped Lan Wangji's face and kissed his cheeks several times, mumbling unintelligibly, "Be a good boy, be quiet. Pretty please, I'll get up in a bit. Mmh."

After a yawn, he rested against the edge of the cask, still asleep.

Were the house to catch on fire, Wei Wuxian would most likely just find another place to keep on sleeping. Despite this, Lan Wangji persevered relentlessly every morning, starting to  call his name at 5 o'clock and withstanding composedly a barrage of small pecks peppering haphazardly his face.

Bringing breakfast to the Jingshi, Lan Wangji placed it on his writing desk where in the past there had solely ever been his brush, paper and ink-stone. Afterwards, he pulled out the still heavily sleeping Wei Wuxian from the bath, wiped him dry, put on his clothing and tied his sash. Lan Wangji then casually fetched a book, flipped it open to the pages containing a bookmark with a dried flower and sat at the table to read at leisure.

At precisely 9 o'clock, Wei Wuxian bolted upright as expected and sat on the bed. He fumbled drowsily out of bed and made a beeline for Lan Wangji, finding his way to his embrace and rubbing customarily his thigh. After washing his face clean at full speed, he was a bit more clear-headed and felt his way back to the writing desk. Wei Wuxian took several bites of an apple and then saw that the plates were piled high with food. As the corners of his mouth rose, he asked, "Isn't your Sect holding a family feast today? Isn't that a problem to eat so much beforehand?"

Lan Wangji calmly straightened out the headband and forehead ribbon Wei Wuxian had been fiddling with a moment ago and replied, "Eat your fill before."

Wei Wuxian had already had the pleasure of sampling the meals served in the Cloud Recesses: watery soup and insipid fare that were dominated by vegetarian dishes. Everything in sight was filled with various shades of green, there was tree bark, grass turfs and a profusion of medicinal ingredients. From all of the dishes emanated an ominously bitter smell tinged with a strange underlying sweetness. Were it not for this, Wei Wuxian would not have proposed to roast these two rabbits when they were younger. It was highly likely that the food served at their Sect’s family feast would leave much to be desired in terms of quantity and quality.

Wei Wuxian knew in his heart that the Gusu Lan Sect regarded these matters of the upmost importance. Letting him attend was tantamount to acknowledging his position as Lan Wangji's cultivation partner. Lan Wangji had to unremittingly wear Lan Qiren down while fighting for his merits. He sighed before putting on a smile, "Don't worry. I'll be on my best behaviour, I won't embarrass you."

Concerning the family feast, the one held in the Cloud Recesses was completely different from the other family feasts Wei Wuxian knew of.

The family feast of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect was held outdoors in the training grounds of Lotus Pier where a dozen long tables would be installed. Everyone, men and women, the older and the younger, all sat together with calls and shouts ringing out throughout the feast. The kitchen was also relocated outside, the blaze from a row of stoves rose high and the aroma wafted in the air. You could help yourself to whatever you wanted to eat and the food never seemed to be cooked quickly enough. Although he did not attend the family feast of the Lanling Jin Sect, their Sect was never stingy and spared no effort spreading far and wide the sumptuous details such as the performance of a sword-dancing master, jade corals in a wine pond, red brocades spread as far the eye can see and other astonishing sights.

Compared to this, the family feast held in the Cloud Recesses was both dull and plain.

The Gusu Lan Sect's teachings have always been dreadfully strict, do not speak when eating and stay silent. Even though the family feast had not officially began, none of the people attending uttered a single word apart from those entering the hall greeting respectfully the seniors in a low voice. There was hardly any talk, let alone cheerful banter. Wearing the same white clothes, the same rolling clouds patterned on white forehead ribbons, the same facial expression solemn to the point of appearing wooden, they seemed to all have come out from the same mould.

Beholding the "mourning clothes" filling the entire hall, Wei Wuxian pretended not to notice the astonished or hostile stares of other people. He complained inwardly, "They call it a family feast but a funeral is more lively than this."

Right at this moment, Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren entered the hall. Lan Wangji who was quietly seated at Wei Wuxian's side made a slight move in reaction.

Lan Qiren probably only needed a glance at Wei Wuxian to have a stroke and consequently he simply chose not to look at him at all, gazing fixedly ahead. Lan Xichen wore his habitual genial smiling expression like a cleansing spring breeze with the corners of his mouth carefully held. However, Wei Wuxian did not know if it was due to the seclusion or not but he thought that Zewu-Jun appeared considerably thinner.

After sitting down as head of the family, Lan Xichen spoke in a few sentences the conventional greetings and inaugurated the feast.

The first dish brought out was a soup.

It was customary for the Gusu Lan Sect to start meals with a soup. The container was an unadorned round cup in black eggshell pottery, small enough to fit in one's palm and smooth to the touch. Lifting the delicate lid to take a look, he discovered as he expected another heap of greenish vegetables, leaves, tree barks and grassroots.

A look was enough to make Wei Wuxian shudder a bit. Despite steeling himself earlier, he couldn't help closing his eyes and resting his head in his hand after drinking a spoonful.

After a moment, he recovered from the brutal attack that overwhelmed his sense of taste, elbows on the table barely keeping him upright. He thought, "…If the ancestor of the Lan family was indeed a Buddhist monk, he was an ascetic one for sure."

Wei Wuxian could not help reminiscing about the family feast held in the training grounds of Lotus Pier, the cauldron filled to the brim with lotus roots and pork ribs soup and the mouth-wateringly fragrant smells of the meat and lotus floating at the surface. All the neighbouring children drawn by the scent tried to climb the courtyard wall to catch a peep, saliva dripping. They all returned home wailing and shouting that they wanted to become disciples of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect. In contrast, he did not know at this very moment who was more pitiable between his current self whose mouth was saturated with bitterly sweetness and Lan Wangji who was brought up eating that from childhood.

Seeing in the hall that all the Lan family members had finished drinking their soup without batting an eyelid, their movements and expressions effortlessly graceful with perfect composure, Wei Wuxian was embarrassed that he alone left his cup mostly untouched. Moreover, among the four thousand rules of the Lan Sect, wait, he did not know how many thousands there actually were now, he remembered several pertaining to table manners, for instance do not be picky about food and leave leftovers, do not eat more than three bowls. Although he felt that this kind of family rules was simply outrageous, he did not want to give Lan Qiren a reason to spurn him so quickly.

He was bracing himself for another spoonful of that foul medicinal soup but just as he raised his head, he unexpectedly discovered that the cup in front of him was already empty.

Wei Wuxian was stupefied.

He involuntarily picked up the delicate cup, thinking to himself, "I'm sure I only drank once? Did it leak from a hole at the bottom?"

But the top of the table was evidently clean, no soup had spilled.

Wei Wuxian looked sideways just at the moment Lan Wangji nonchalantly finished the last sip of his soup. He put back the lid on top and he used a snow-white napkin to lightly wipe the corners of his mouth, eyes downcast. 

But Wei Wuxian remembered distinctly that Lan Wangji had already finished his soup at an earlier time.

He also realised that Lan Wangji's part of the table seemed to be much closer to him than before the start of the feast as if he had discreetly shifted nearer.

Wei Wuxian, "…"

Raising an eyebrow, he mouthed silently towards Lan Wangji: Hanguang-Jun, you're pretty quick with your hands, huh?

Lan Wangji put down the napkin, glanced briefly aside at him before tranquilly gazing away.

Translator's notes

[1] The actual wording is 强奸 whose literal translation is 'rape'. Since the scene is supposed to come across as playful, I'm purposefully using the milder term 'surprise attack' here instead and afterwards the word 'ravish' which is more in line with their kink.

[2] Wei Wuxian's handwriting is 狂草 (kuángcǎo) which means 'wild cursive', it is a type of calligraphy with fast unbridled strokes which can be beautiful aesthetically but is is generally illegible (Example). In contrast, an earlier chapter mentions that Lan Wangji writes in 正楷 (zhèngkǎi) or regular script, the proper and tidy way of writing  (Example).

[phantom-le6]

Ramble of the month April 2023: Autism Month Ramble on Education

For the second time since I started doing these monthly rambles, Autism Awareness Month is upon us.  This year, the month is a bit special because while I was basically diagnosed by education professionals as a child, it’s only just now that I’ve got a formal autism diagnosis via the NHS, though that process is still on-going until I get any post saying no more appointments, etc.

 Last year when I did something about autism, I focused on relationships.  This year, I’m going to instead look at education because I know it’s a very hot-button topic for a lot of parents and families, and subject to regular press scrutiny as well.  Now because my day job happens to relate to SEN education, I’m going to try and tread very carefully here, as I don’t want to say anything that would reflect poorly on that day job in any way.  However, much like last year’s article, most of this content comes from a book on autism that I’ve been writing, drafts of which have been read by people I trust from work, and I’ve not received any adverse feedback on it previously.

 Nonetheless, just as a bit of clarification, what I’m writing here is very much going to be based on me as a private autistic individual.  Nothing I say here should be in any way taken as a reflection on my day job, and if anyone does, that’s your mistake, and I bear no responsibility for it.  Also, some aspects of this will touch on my views regarding adult intervention in the lives of all young people and will be intended to take a pro-LGBTQ+ stance.  No offense is intended in anything I say, but if you take anything pro-LGBTQ+ as offensive, I recommend you stop reading now. For those carrying on, remember, I’m ok with constructive criticism, but I have no tolerance for bullying/trolling/abuse of any kind, so remember to keep any feedback civil, or otherwise please just refrain from commenting.

 Now, as ever when I talk about autism, I always like to go over the basics of what autism is, how it can affect people who are autistic, and so on.  First, autism is one of a number of conditions that falls under the umbrella of neurodiversity, which is a term used to describe the idea that there is more than one valid way for human minds and brains to function.  Because these conditions result in deficits in certain skills and areas of learning, they’re often categorised as a form of disability or mental ill health, but in truth they are neither.  I use the term ‘differently abled’ to describe myself because I can do most things non-autistics can; I just have to do them very differently in some cases. Likewise, autism is not a mental illness; it’s simply a different version of mental fitness, though we can still be affected by mental illness in ways similar to non-autistic people.

 As to what causes autism, all anyone really knows is that people who are autistic are born that way.  It’s not the result of vaccines, and as I noted last year, I view the claim that vaccines cause autism as a form of anti-autistic hate speech which should be criminalised accordingly.  It’s also not the result of bad parenting or a lack of discipline, and while many autistics are prone to incidents of meltdown, these outbursts do not stem from aggressive or malicious personalities.  Autistic people are on one “mental wave-length”, everyone else is on another such “wave-length”, and the frustration and friction between the two leads to incidents of meltdown.

 Now let’s consider the traits of autism.  Primarily, autism is defined by social skill deficits that fall into the three areas of what is known as the ‘Triad of Impairment’.  If someone has traits within all three areas of the triad, as well as the other associated traits of autism, then they are almost certainly autistic.  The first area of difficulty is Social Communication, which deals with how people put across what they want to say and the social skills linked to that.  Second is Social Interaction, which are all the social skills you need to accurately interpret what others say to you.  Third is Social Imagination, which is the aspect of social skills linked with your ability to anticipate how others may react to your words and actions.

 The impairments in these areas seem to stem primarily from the fact that the mind of an autistic person doesn’t learn social skills automatically through observation and interpretation as non-autistics do.  In effect, the “social skill auto-pilot” present in neurotypical minds is not present for autistic people, and we have to learn social skills through explicit, direct instruction and implement them in the same way.  This also gives us a very literal mindset, making us prone to missing the point of jokes, or perhaps not even recognising where a joke has been told.  Likewise, figures of speech and metaphor can be a major challenge for us (like Drax from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but less stupid).

 Other autistic traits include a high need for predictability to offset how confusing we find the world around us.  Routine and advance knowledge of any major changes that we might find disruptive are two ways this need can be met, but a third that is highly unique to autistics is the concept of special interests.  This can be anything we develop an interest in that we find predictable, and because predictability is vital to our mental well-being, special interests occupy a lot of our minds at any given time.  For this reason, such interests can be mistaken for obsessions, but obsessions are ultimately joyless where special interests are highly enjoyable to us.  Some also mistake them for hobbies, but that’s too casual a label given the role they play for autistic people.

 The last couple of traits to go over are sensory issues and coinciding special needs. The first stems from the altered brain chemistry that results in autism, or such was the case last I heard, and causes senses to either be ramped up (hyper-sensitive) or ramped down (hypo-sensitive).  These can result in behaviours known as “stimming”, which as I understand it is seeking a specific sensory experience as a way to calm down, though to be honest it’s one trait of autism I don’t think I’ve ever shown myself.  As such, I’m not sure if it’s because it’s down to specific sensory needs (I’m a hearing-and-taste hyper-sensitive) or where someone is on the autistic spectrum.  There’s also a general processing delay in terms of how long autistic people take to process new information, so at times we might seem a bit slow in our reactions to things, and can easily be flustered by the new and the unexpected; another reason for our dependence on predictability.

 The final trait, that of coinciding special needs, means just that.  Autistic people are very rarely just autistic. Many have other needs, though what these are vary quite widely.  Some can have ADHD, be dyslexic, have major sensory impairments, and so on.  In this respect, I’ve been sort of lucky in that my other special needs are a general impairment of my hand-eye co-ordination and gross motor skills.  Granted, that almost certainly doesn’t combine well with my sensory processing delay, but at least it’s otherwise separate and distinct from my autism.

 Now a moment ago I mentioned the concept of the autistic spectrum.  Autism is a very varied form of neurodiversity, and when I used to give talks on the subject, a frequent phrase that came up at the talks was “when you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.”  Even looking at the handful of autistic people I was a part of when delivering those talks, that phrase is easily understood as true.  However, the spectrum model of “high-to-low functioning” is often misinterpreted as being a sliding scale of autistic severity.  This is totally untrue; a supposedly “high-functioning” autistic like myself can have needs just as profound as those of a “low-functioning” autistic.

 To my mind, the misinterpretation stems from what are known as masking behaviours. These are any behaviours that effectively conceal autistic traits from being observed by mimicking neurotypical behaviours, and are the key reason why autism is often labelled a ‘hidden disability’. While the second part of that label is wrong for most people, the first part certainly explains why some autistic people are not diagnosed sooner in life, and I believe it accounts for the illusion of a functionality scale.  In essence, so-called “high-functioning” autistics have very effective masking abilities, while “low-functioning” autistics are simply not capable of or interested in using these behaviours.  As such, terms like “high-masking”, “heavy-masking”, “low-masking” or “light-masking” would make better sense of the spectrum concept.  Also, the spectrum does not run all the way to neurotypical. Autistic people can be anywhere on the autistic spectrum, but neurotypical people aren’t on it, ever.

 Having covered all this information on autism, I’m sure you can probably understand the kinds of difficulties autistic children would have in education settings, especially if they lack for anything official that declares their autism to education professionals.  A literal understanding of language, for example, might make them prone to misinterpreting instructions, and while a subject playing to their special interests will see them do well, getting them to focus and achieve in other subject areas could be more challenging, especially if it’s anything new or outside of their routine.  With diagnosis, some of these difficulties can be compensated for, but without that formal label, appropriate support is even harder to come by.  It also doesn’t help that these issues then spill over into their peer relationships at break and lunch times, and of course outside of schools.

 On top of this, it’s worth realising that education has failed to really update itself much over the course of history.  Our school year is a relic of the agrarian age when children helped tend crops in the summer, the “sit at desks and learn” model of teaching a hold-over from Victorian times when it was made to mimic the production lines of this industrial quantum leap.  Even through the recent trials of the Covid pandemic and home-learning en masse, these elements remain unchanged, while in comparison, we’ve gone from horse-and-carriage to the modern motor car, from old crank-dial landline telephones and telegraph lines to smart phones.

 If this isn’t bad enough, our education system has in more recent times become extremely exam-centric, in many cases cutting out classroom assessment and/or coursework as any true kind of metric for progress.  Now all that anyone cares about when it comes to school children is exams, or more accurately, how well can they parrot information on cue. Great skill if you plan to spend your life up in front of crowds reading from an auto-cue of some kind, and technically useful for when you have to do tests as part of a job interview.  For a lot of other things, though, exam skills aren’t going to be the be-all and end-all of what you need to know, and it’s not unreasonable to expect a child’s education to reflect this simple, basic reality.

 The best analogy for all of this, especially when factoring in children who are neurodiverse or differently abled, is the satirical cartoon that’s been doing the rounds of social media for the last decade or so at least.  It’s the one where a myriad variety of animals are lined up and asked to climb a tree.  That’s our education system in a nutshell; a wide variety of varied individuals being judged by how well or how poorly they do at a single task, disregarding all other abilities that they possess.  Given this, I think it’s fair to say that almost every child will struggle in education if things remain that way, special needs or not.

 This then brings us to the existing provision for special needs education, which as I noted before is generally only there if you’ve got documentary evidence to prove your child has special needs.  First of all, as I understand it, since the Equality Act and the Autism Act were both passed in or around 2010, reasonable adjustments to a child’s education where they have SEN have been part of our national law.  As such, some level of adaptability is supposed to exist within our existing national curriculum, and in theory that should help some students achieve in education.  There are also various support services available, whether through charities, the NHS or local councils, and then we come to the question of what used to be called Statements of SEN, but are now Education, Health and Care Plans, or EHCPs.

 These documents changed names and other things following a legislation change back in 2014, the idea of which was apparently to get things to a point where only children needing special school placements would need EHCPs, and other forms of support would cater to mainstream SEN pupils.  However, because the legal changes also included an expanded age-range to cover nursery and further education, as well as the legislation possibly not altering the national curriculum or how it was taught, there was no reduction in EHCP students.  Instead, there was and is an ever-increasing demand for this form of support that shows no signs of abating.

 In recent times, local councils have begun taking a lot of flak from the public and the press as they struggle to meet this ever-rising demand, but in reality, they’re trying to do their best with a situation not of their making. Over the past several years at least, budgets for local councils have, as with other public services, been cut time and time again, and as funds to councils become increasingly scarce, so does their ability to supply the public demand.  The decision to make those cuts is undertaken at the central government level, which is why I would urge anyone with an SEN child to seriously review who they vote for in elections.  Who you elect into power dictates how well local authorities get funded, as well as other legislative changes that impact how differently abled children and adults are treated in this country.  Don’t just buy into the catchiest soundbite; really investigate and make sure you’re picking a councillor, an MP, a prime minister that honestly cares about SEN support.

 The other main contention that can arise around SEN support is whether it’s better to integrate SEN children with mainstream peers or to segregate them via dedicated specialist schools.  My own childhood took a kind of middle-route, as under my statement of SEN, I was allocated placements in specialist units within mainstream schools, and over time I spent more and more lessons in mainstream instead of the unit.  Now there are parents and professionals who would argue for either extreme, and those who would argue for the middle.  Personally, I believe there will always be some children too impaired to even come close to mainstream education, but that in most cases integration should at least be the end-goal, if only because integration with mainstream society is a vital skill for any differently abled person as an adult.

 To achieve this, however, there needs to be change.  Despite legal provisions allowing for differentiated learning through reasonable adjustments, this doesn’t always seem to happen.  Some schools still teachers trapped in archaic views on special needs, viewing differently abled children as simply “naughty”, and while some schools might educate children on special needs so they can understand their peers, others don’t.  This in turn results in a lot of the same bullying I went through in school, back when no one even tried explaining my special needs or those of other unit students to our mainstream peers.

 As such, I believe that schools need to get proactive and begin weeding out teachers that maintain anti-SEN attitudes of old, and that the national curriculum needs to alter by default, because as difficult as all these challenges are for the diagnosed SEN child, imagine those on the autistic spectrum who are high-masking and shutdown rather than meltdown under stress.  Granted, some changes will always be unique to certain special needs, and some will cost extra money, but some won’t.  Consider the issue autistic people have with taking things literally. A teacher will have to speak and write instructions to their class many times during a school year, and the cost of hand-outs, whiteboard pens, powering an electronic keyboard, that’s all factored in.  The cost of changing certain words on things you already have to write will be no different that whatever you would have written before, but the impact on any autistic or otherwise neurodiverse children needing more literal instructions? Priceless.

 Another point I would raise when dealing with autistic people of any age is the three C’s; be clear, be concise, be consistent.  Not only does more literal language help, but so does how you set instructions out, and how you act in general, and not just for autistic and other neurodiverse children.  Classes may also contain children with chaotic or abusive home lives or just find certain subjects difficult.  Making lessons harder with obtuse instructions or erratic staff behaviour and conflicting methodologies do not help such situations, but clear, simple instructions, acting predictably and showing a consistent approach will.

 More practical education is another change that would benefit autistic children, but would also benefit those without special needs as well.  There’s so much knowledge that gets taught simply “in case” a child wants to follow a specific subject to a higher level, and very often a lot of useful information is left untaught that should be.  My cooking lessons in school all related to cakes and pizzas, but not once did anyone teach me how to prepare carrots, peas, potatoes or Yorkshire Puddings; all this I had to learn as an adult from my parents.  I learned quadratic equations, but never once were we taught how much living expenses could be, how to do a household budget or check if our income was correctly taxed. So much emphasis was put on picking French or German for a foreign language, but nothing mentioned about learning sign language, which would certainly be useful given that most of us will meet more deaf people than will travel to France or Germany.

 Going back to language, avoiding the use of redundant or inaccurate language is another thing to consider.  I remember almost getting tripped up on a Maths exam because I was asked to “describe” an equation.  That term had no place whatsoever in anything to do with Maths.  In any mathematic operation, you calculate, you work out, you can even deduce, but you’re not trying to “describe” a sum, just work out its answer.  I was lucky enough to be well-educated enough to compensate for this, but not every SEN student would have been so fortunate.  As such, exam writers should be more careful about which exams they decide to go using a thesaurus to write.  Maths is not a subject that needs a lot of wordplay, thank you.

 Speaking of exams, these should go back to only being part of a subject grade instead of the sum total.  For all students of all abilities, exams alone will not be the answer; it stresses them all out to no good cause.  For those students who excel more in other types of assessment, that stress could undermine their whole grade without the change to compensate in another area.  I know that if essays I wrote for homework during my A-Level Biology course had counted, I might have actually passed.

 Speaking of A-Levels, it would also be wise for schools to make clear what is expected at this level of study.  No one ever told me I had to do a lot of independent study, never mind what aspects of each subject I should study to achieve a high grade.  There’s a lot of supposition regarding students having the initiative to teach themselves at this level, but if you’re autistic and take things literally, you’re more likely to just do what’s assigned and no more because no one has said “you should also do x, y and z to get a proper grade.”  Don’t suppose, don’t assume, don’t think we’ll “work this out for ourselves”.  The neurotypical fallacy that anyone can read minds is a myth, which is why telepaths only exist in things like X-Men and Star Trek.  Real people can’t read minds, so stop acting like they can and spell everything out properly.  Not rocket science, not brain surgery, just simple common sense, good manners and good education practice.

 Another phrase I believe in is “credit where credit is due, blame where blame is due.” As an autistic student, I don’t think anything ever annoyed me in school quite as much as a teacher telling the whole class off, especially if they kept us late, when I wasn’t involved and had to get out to catch my taxi home.  This is lazy behaviour and no worthwhile teacher would ever employ it, which shows what I think about a lot of my former teachers.  Punishment should only be administered to students who have broken the rules, and the innocent students should be left alone.  This was even more annoying when considering that while I was at school, I was frequently bullied and in most cases school staff never dealt with this.

 Because of this, my next improvement suggestion for schools the world over is stop being soft on bullies.  Whenever I see news reports about a child bringing a weapon into a school, my first thought is never that the kid in question might be in a gang, nor do I ever believe that’s the first domino in the chain.  My first thought about such stories is how much has that child been bullied to believe they need to be armed to be safe.  It’s not something I ever did myself, and yet I think there were times when the thought might have occurred to me if I’d seen more examples of that behaviour.  The reality is that while some cases of children possessing weapons will be related to teenage gangs, a lot will be bullying-related, which is why I believe bullying should be effectively criminalised, in order to prevent situations reaching a greater magnitude than they need to.  If bullies were caught and punished properly, their victims would never seek to be armed and would avoid being seen as criminals themselves.

 Next, let’s consider choice in education.  I know that for some exams and other assessments of learning to work, there needs to be a few subjects where what you learn is set by school staff. In other areas, however, there is more scope for choice than one might initially suppose, and this can really help autistic children.  Say for example that a child has a special interest in superhero lore.  Just handing them certain classic literature to study might bore them, and seeing no value in the study of that story they won’t do it. However, if you gave them a graphic novel in which a given superhero deals with similar events to the classic literature, and then you point out the connection, this can be an effective motivator. With sufficient leeway, they could even make scholarly points linking the two and be given higher marks for that. After all, it’s often been noted that the Hulk combines elements of Frankenstein with those of Jekyll and Hyde, and if you consider the Rick Jones-Hulk relationship, an element from Of Mice and Men is also prevalent in early Hulk lore.

 For my last couple of points, I’m going to start by pointing out that homework should be better co-ordinated between different subjects.  When I was in school, I often felt that we were assigned certain levels of homework that made me think the teacher was of the belief their class was the only one we had.  Now for autistics like me, home is meant to be a place to wind down from the demands of school, both social-skill related and otherwise, so having a large amount of homework eat into that destress time can often be counter-productive. As such, I think when students reach a level of education where they’re hoping from class to class for their lessons, schools should co-ordinate across all subject areas to make sure homework levels are reasonable on the whole.

 Point number 2 is around the area of when teachers, and other adults as well, should or shouldn’t intervene in an autistic child’s personal life.  The reason I bring this up is because during my time at my first secondary school, I went a bit girl-mad, and at one stage I did manage to get a girlfriend for a time.  She was a fellow student in the same SEN unit as myself, but a couple of years younger than me, and at one point we had our teachers in that unit trying to basically split us up, claiming we were too young.  Given that my mainstream peers were all/mostly getting girlfriends, etc. I have always felt that they really meant we were too autistic/neurodiverse for romantic relationships.

 Not only is such an attitude discriminatory, but it’s outside their remit to interfere with a student’s person life in most cases, whether that student is autistic or not.  That being said, there are situations where a young person’s personal life can be infringed upon or invaded by parents or guardians rather than teachers, and school staff end up having to be the ones have to interfere for that young person’s benefit.  At times, this sort of behaviour gets demonised in the conservative press, as sometimes this interference isn’t just about who starts getting into relationships when.  Sometimes it’s about a young person wanting to do what is right for them, but are not allowed to because of the religious superstitions or idiotic conspiracy theories and prejudices of their parents or guardians.

 As such, the question always lingers as to how much interference from any adult is appropriate, whether autism is an element in the equation or not.  This is never an easy question to answer, and that’s for a lot of reasons.  First of all, children and young people are all individuals, growing and getting into things at different ages, and that’s equally true whether they’re neurodiverse or not.  It’s part and parcel of why age of consent laws and other age-based limits vary internationally; scientifically, each child develops into an adult in their own time, and each nation has its own ideas about when most young people are able to drive, to vote, to drink, to have sex and so on.  As a result, you get the law setting a standard only some children will ever adhere to, while the rest will either be ready earlier or later than that standard.

 Second, because children and young people hit their various mental and physical milestones at different times to each other, you’re never going to know with absolute certainty at what age they will be ready for certain things.  For example, one young person maybe ready for romantic relationships with their peers from the age of 12 or 13, another young person might not be ready until they’re closer to 16, and some are never going to be ready or will only be ready as adults.  Autism can be factor here, but so can a lot of other things, and relationships are just one example.  Others may include following a different religion, or exploring aspects of their identity that come under the LGBTQ+ umbrella.

 Now among the autistic friends I’ve made over the years, I know a couple of autistics that are homosexual and one who is trans-gender.  This is why when I look at the whole area of adult interference in autistic personal lives, both in education and at home, I try not to look just at my own experience around relationships.  Interference can be a teacher trying to convince an autistic young person who is gay, trans, both or something else entirely that they aren’t these things, or it can be a parent disowning the young person over laying claim to these labels.  Neither is appropriate or healthy, and the same applies when non-autistic young people make such claims.  However, as we’ve just noted, children reach their mental milestones at different ages, and sometimes they’re not going to work out which labels apply to them at the first time of trying.

 In essence, each person’s life is a voyage of self-discovery, and during childhood and adolescence, each person is developing the initial knowledge and skills they will need to continue that journey as independent adults.  This means any adult intervention in a young person’s personal life has to be a measured response, something that strikes a balance between outright dismissal and carte blanche permission. During their formative years, children and young people need a bit leeway to explore who they are and begin establishing their identity, but until they’re capable of making sound independent decisions, a certain level of safeguarding is also required.

 How this balanced approach might apply is something that almost certainly needs to vary from case to case, but in general, the basic structure would be to take an interest, research the subject well with the young person and give them appropriate chances to explore whatever they’ve expressed an interest in. Ideally, this should be handled more by parents, perhaps with the assistance of other family or close friends, and perhaps only involving school where it’s really appropriate because it might impact their education.  Indeed, impact on education is what I would generally put down as the principal factor, perhaps the only factor, in whether teachers interfere in the personal affairs of students.  Things like bullying fall into this category because the adverse mental impact impairs a child’s ability to focus on lessons, as does parental abuse.  Pursuing a romantic relationship with a classmate, provided it’s checked at the classroom door, wouldn’t have an adverse impact, and so that’s not a matter for teacher intervention.

 Where autistic children and young people are concerned, the waters can get a little muddier because our social skill difficulties mean we’re a little more prone to misunderstanding and misinterpretation, as well as being deceived by our peers into handling a situation inappropriately.  However, the rule of “if it’s not impacting their learning, don’t butt in” should remain the school staff rule-of-thumb.  Where home life is the point of non-acceptance, that again impacts a young person’s ability to learn, so again school staff intervention becomes appropriate to shield a young person from horrendous parental reaction.  In this scenario, it might be that school staff or other professionals have to act as supporting adults in a young person’s self-discovery instead of parents, in which case greater care is required in case certain actions or counsel fall outside any given professional remit.

  Now I imagine that when I talked an approach of taking an interest in a young person’s decisions, researching the issue with them and giving them appropriate opportunities, some people might be a bit confused what I meant.  Well, let’s run through a couple of examples.  First is the one from my own experience; relationships of a romantic nature.  Never an easy subject to broach, but let’s consider how that could be handled.  Step one of taking an interest means asking the young person what they understand about such things and giving them a good baseline idea of what relationships might entail.  This doesn’t necessarily mean doing a sex education talk, as they might be too young for that stage yet, and schools generally cover this anyway. More likely topics could be dating versus advancing a friendship to romance, proper relationship etiquette, correcting for any misunderstandings born from pop culture knowledge of romance and so on.

 Research could then be a matter of asking slightly older children in the family (older siblings, cousins, etc.) to talk about their own experiences, pointing them towards other trusted sources of experience in this area, and in the case of autistic children, tools like social stories might help to explain certain points.  A provision of appropriate experiences would then probably consist of liaising with the other young person’s parents/guardians to let a young couple have some dating experiences, or provide a young person with some age-appropriate chances to gain a romantic interest.  Where an autistic teenager is concerned, I would advise that where the latter option is concerned, try not to suggest clubs of any description.  I for one always hated that suggestion because if it didn’t result in a relationship, I would have joined a club for nothing. Very often autistic people want to be direct, so the more direct our opportunities are, the more likely we are to take them.

 For our second example, let’s consider the idea of trans-genderism. This one is very much more contentious, but the same basic principles from the first example apply.  Again, begin with taking an interest; why does the young person believe they are trans-gender?  Are they fully aware of what the term means, what different forms trans-genderism can take?  What aspects of their birth-assigned gender do they not identify with, and so on. Look into the subject yourself, avoiding any right-wing hysteria and bigotry and focusing on more balanced sources of information, then go through this with the young person in question, maybe reach out to trans-gender support and information groups to learn more.

 Appropriate opportunities can then consist of allowing a young person to explore the gender they now identify as, provided the exploration doesn’t involve anything that is irreversible or extremely difficult to reverse.  For example, if a young person has been designated male when they were born but now identifies as female, wearing female clothing and make-up is ok because clothes and make-up can be removed if they find this isn’t for them.  In this case, appropriate exploration means dipping your toe in the pool for now and not diving in until old enough to weight the consequences accurately and make an independent decision.  That way, exploration can go ahead, and those who have mis-identified can change their minds while those who have landed on the right label will have confirmation that they’re on their own right track.

 So, to sum this all up, education is not an easy experience for people on the autistic spectrum, and odds are this will always be the case to some extent. The only question is whether or not the society in which we live has the will and the courage to try being more inclusive and tolerant, and to create an autism-inclusive education system that reflects such an attitude change.  Based on my experience of neurotypical society, I’m hanging hopes on this anytime soon, but if anyone has the guts to prove me wrong, I’m more than happy for them to try.  Until my next ramble, ta-ta for now.

[writing-away-in-ingo]

She is. - feedback

Most of the feedback this week related to the plot rather than the writing style of the piece, so I altered the ending of the story to make the conclusion more satisfying, by creating more terror for the attacker, giving the reader a chance to feel angry but also allowing them a cathartic ending so that the story is more emotionally conclusive. 

I’ve been talking to this girl for about an hour now. When we started, she was already swaying a little, dizzy on her feet from just two mojitos. It was easy to ply her with a little more alcohol, to encourage her to open up to me just the right amount, so that in her mind, we’ve both been talking, sharing. She thinks I’m here by chance.

Across the dance floor, I see her, lift my hand in a wave. That’s a big part of it that most guys miss. You can’t be following the whole time, or they start to realise that you’re there for them, not the club, and then it all becomes too much. They get startled, sometimes you lose them. Give a little freedom at the start, give her a little trust, and she’ll follow you so much easier.

Right on cue, she stumbles over to me, unsteady on her neon platforms. Somewhere between the bathroom and the dance floor, she’s picked up another drink. I gently remove it from her hand and place it on the nearest table, and she sticks out her tongue at me. It’s another trick most people miss – if you’re constantly pushing the drinks on her, she’ll pick up on it, get flighty. I take her by the arm, gently righting her as she wobbles dangerously back towards the dance floor. She giggles, swatting at my hands, her tone and stance are playful.

“I wanna da-ance!” Her voice is loud, even over the blaring music pumping through the speakers. She bites her lip, flutters her eyelashes. “Come dance with me.”

“Oh, I know. But you’re plastered, love, and it’s getting late.”

She pulls me close, mock serious. The drink is sharp on her breath; she whispers, half into my shoulder, half into my ear. “I know.” The thought is inherently funny to her, and she spins around in a lazy loop, before her balance gets the better of her and she falls back against my shoulder, heels wobbling against the floor. I put my arm around her in a steadying motion, and she beams at me.

“I’m taking you home.”

 The night air is frigid compared to the sweaty heat of the bar, but that doesn’t matter to me. I even slip off my jacket, gently placing it around her shoulders, every inch the gentleman. She angles her head backwards, half resting her head on my shoulder in her efforts to look me in the eye.

“Thank you.”

Her words are slurred, half formed in the quiet of the carpark. I give her my most chivalrous smile, pulling open the door to the passenger’s side.

“My lady.”

She laughs, flops down into the car with a graceless thump. I bend down and scoop her purse up from where it fell, soaked on one side with the rainwater gathered on the tarmac. Her fumbling fingers almost drop it again, and when I catch her hand in mine, she looks up at me, letting her head fall backwards onto the car-seat.

“Men are so mean sometimes. Where did you come from?”

My smile isn’t an answer, but she seems to take it as one, running her hands over the leather seat.

We make the drive in silence.

 It’s hard to see in the darkness, but I can just about make out her shape on the bed, curled onto the side, her hair falling across her face. She wasn’t the type to fight back before, and now, I’m not sure she could if she wanted to. My jeans rustle as I move them down my legs.

Softly, I roll her onto her back, settling myself over her. My knees press into the mattress.

She whimpers, trying to curl in on herself, hands crossing over her chest. I laugh, low and soft.

“Shhh. I’ll be quick. Just relax.”

She’s moving, something is happening in the space between our stomachs. There’s something… sharp? It’s cold against my skin- I realise too late what it is, and by the time I’ve scrambled away, there’s already blood dripping down my abdomen. My heart pounds, so fast that I’m dizzy with it – I fall backwards off the bed and my back hits the floor, sending jitters of pain dancing up and down my spine.

“What the fuck? What did you-?”

There’s blood on my fingers. My blood. The thought is struggling to make it past my brain into reality – it won’t process the situation properly. She stabbed me. She had a knife, has a knife. I’m in danger.

My body won’t move.

On the bed, I see the girl shift, swinging her legs over the edge. Suddenly she doesn’t seem so small anymore. Her stance is straighter, her eyes are clear. My sluggish brain frantically peddles – she was so drunk she could barely stand; I saw it, I knew it. How is this happening?

She crouches down next to me, her eyes fixed on my face. Her expression is an awful mask, mingled fury and exuberance. I try to squirm away, but she places a hand on my chest, holding me in place. My heart hammers frantically under her bitten fingernails.  

“You’re not going to die. Not just yet.”

I snap up at her: “I was kind to you. Anyone in that bar could have taken you anywhere. You could be dead, you could be-”

“Being assaulted?” She raises an eyebrow, swings the knife in a lazy arc.

I clutch the wound in my side, feeling the pain flare up. “You were drunk, you were fucking drunk, you lying bitch.”

She looms over me, tilting her head to look me in the eye. Then, without a word, she raises her foot, and brings it down on my head. Mercifully, the impact is enough to knock me into unconsciousness.

 When I come to again, she’s staring out of the window. My hands and feet are bound. The wound in my stomach is still lazily oozing blood. It can’t have been too long, or I’d be dead already.

“The first time this happened to me, I wasn’t prepared for it. I didn’t struggle, or fight. I just sort of… froze. He was so pleased with himself. I guess I should be thankful for that. He finished quick, didn’t waste time. I didn’t know how to tell him how scared I was, how much I wanted him to stop.”  

“I’m going to assume you’re the kind of person who thinks I was asking for it because I didn’t know how to say no.” She crouches in front of me, waves the knife in my face. “Are you that kind of person, Liam?” I flinch away, unable to speak. The knife hovers in front of my nose for just a second too long, then she pulls it away.

“I have a question. You know a lot about this girl you met; she was drunk, she was sloppy, she was a tease. I’m willing to bet you could pick her out of a line up, her body, her hair.” She’s pacing again, circling my body. I have the awful notion this is what a gazelle feels like on one of those nature programs, the moment before it’s pounced on.

��Just one little question, and then I might consider letting you go.”

She crouches down, and I feel her long hair tickle my throat.  

“What’s my name?”

My mind struggles to find the answer and comes up blank. Did she tell me? She must have. I categorise the facts I’ve gleaned about her in my mind.

1.      Ex-smoker

2.      Graduated uni last year

3.      Lives alone

4.      No siblings

5.      Few friends

6.       

I stare up at her, and she knows.

“You didn’t even notice, did you? Too focused on trying to get me to get in your car, in your bed.”

Her voice, soft at first, is getting louder. She spits the words like venom. The knife in her hands draws closer, inexorable. I try to squirm away from it but she notices, a faint smirk curling across her face. She brings the knife down, carving an angry red line into my arm. The noise that leaves my mouth is new, unrecognisable, a shout mingled with a gasp. My legs are shaking, uncontrolled, muscles tensed and terrified.

“How does it feel being entirely at someone’s mercy, Liam?”

Her voice is quiet again, perhaps she’s been calmed by the sight of my blood, of my panic. I don’t know what she’s thinking, there’s no way to get myself out of this fucking situation, no way to reach out to her. She’s crouched so close to me, but I’ve never felt so isolated, so alone. Helplessness isn’t a strong enough word. I’ve locked myself in a panic room before realising I won’t have enough air to last the night. My flat is inaccessible, even if someone knew I was here, even if someone knew I was in trouble.

My thoughts keep screaming that there must be some way out of this, there must be something than can still be done. I’m not the half-baked side character in this story, I’m the protagonist, there must be some last-minute rescue that allows me to keep living. The finality of it won’t compute.

The knife slices against my cheek in a white-hot flash of pain and I jolt back to myself, shaking all over now, ice clawing up my spine. She’s examining the blade, her face calm and impassive. I realise, faintly, that there are tears streaking my face, dripping into the open wound she’s just slit into the skin. I try to speak, and the words clatter against each other, jolted by the all-consuming panic running through every fibre of my being.

“Please- p-please don’t do thi- you don’t have t- I swear, I’ll- please please don’t do this I’m begging you I’m begging-”

She arches an eyebrow, gives me a long look. It makes my whole body shudder.

“I wonder how many times you’ve been on the other side of this.” 

Against my neck, I feel the cool edge of the knife, then a flash of warmth, then-

[whatdoyouexpectthistime]

First Annual Tres Spades Jello Wrestling Tournament - Part Two

Last episode on ‘First Annual Tres Spades Jello Wrestling Tournament’

Tres Spades owner and greatest ego in Japan, Eisuke Ichinomiya, has learned that the latest individual to join the auction managers, Miho Fujiwara, has somehow managed to get his approval for a jello wrestling tournament. He is none too pleased and has no clue how she managed to get his signature. Luckily, Miho has sound economic reasons to validate the event, as well as the potential positive influence the favour of hundreds of rich women might bring to the hotel – that and she don’t take no shit from Eisuke.

 CLICK TO READ Part One

 “Let me get this straight,” Eisuke levelled, after Miho had revealed how she’d managed to slip the jello tournament passed his notice. “I signed your proposal while drunk?”

“Yep,” she affirmed, perched on the edge of his desk. “I took total advantage.”

“Total advantage?” he emphasised, and Miho crafted a deeply hurt expression.

“You really don’t remember that wonderful night?” she pouted sulkily. “Wow, I’m wounded.”

“Why don’t you,” he sniffed, and in two strides he was before her, sandwiching her legs between his, “remind me?”

This time it was Miho who tensed, and as she straightened, Eisuke placed his hands either side of her and bent forward, forcing her to lean back to avoid him.

In warning her eyes flashed, but Eisuke remained, looming over her.

“No?” he sneered, fierce gaze burning into her relentlessly.

“You know I beat the shit out of Soryu sparring yesterday, right?” she hissed, angry at herself for sounding far less menacing than she desired. “I would fucking, break you.”

“Let’s just go with the first half of that statement,” he growled, drawing nearer still.

“Mr. Ichinomiya?” came a voice from outside the office, followed by a couple of knocks.

Zain.

He’d had the upper hand, but Zain’s well timed interruption allowed Miho to bring her legs up flush with her chest and push Eisuke away.

“Fancy hesitating,” she smirked as she hopped off the desk, then raised her voice. “Come in Zain.”

And Eisuke fumed beneath the skin – a tantrum he would never show on the surface, but one which in utter outrage shook violently inside. Seething, his eyes told an angry story, one he wrote all over her body.

“Weigh up that thought,” Miho posed as Zain opened the door, “against the money this will put in your pocket, and the brand new customer base the Tres Spades will enjoy.”

“Miho,” Eisuke dropped, two syllables like violent claps of thunder. “One day you’re going to push too hard.”

“You wouldn’t have me any other way,” she grinned, winked, and slipped out past Zain.

 The company Miho had contracted to stage the jello wrestling extravaganza, comprised some of the most pleasingly muscular and well endowed ‘athletes’ she’d ever had the honour to ‘test drive’. She’d been sold on the idea almost instantly, as the marketing director blabbed in her ear about crowd draw and revenue – but her focus had been fixed on the slip and writhe of two fully grown men, naked and grappling in a sea of glittering green jello.

She knew she’d have to trick Eisuke into it, and that was a dangerous proposition, but she convinced herself tempting fate was what she did now. Her success was sweet, his defeat so much sweeter, despite the fact he glared at her with renewed displeasure every time they crossed paths in the hotel.

“Give up, Ichinomiya,” she grinned, purposefully bumping into his shoulder. “Accept it and maybe, maybe you’ll not only make an obscene amount of money from this, but also enjoy it.”

“Grown men fighting for the spectacle of women is…” he began, but Miho cut him off.

“Objectification?” she offered cheekily, sliding sideways as his body language suggested he might try to corner her in the door recess of the room outside of which they stood. “Yes, yes it is,” she agreed, “and I’m certainly not for the categorisation of anyone as a mere sex object, regardless of gender – however – the narrator and her audience have demanded some measure of recompense for the foul way women are generally treated by you and most of the other managers so…”

“What are you talking about?” he sneered, looking down his nose at her.

“Embrace it,” she instructed, giving his left cheek a light tap, withdrawing before he could bat her away, “because it’s happening whether you like it or not.”

“I could squash you like a bug,” he pointed out.

“Buuuut you won’t,” she smiled sweetly. “Because all money aside, you actually like having a woman around who offers you a challenge.”

This, Eisuke neither confirmed nor denied. Instead he departed, stalking down the corridor like he was on a mission – and Miho watched him go… Mmhm… those perfectly tailored pants did his retreating figure great justice.

“Stirring up Mr. Ichinomiya again?” a female voice enquired, and Miho turned to see Selina shaking her head in amusement. “When you do cross the line with him, it’s going to be very messy.”

“And I’m sure you’ll read a beautiful eulogy at my funeral,” Miho laughed. “But until that time, I intend to have fun.”

“Jazz’ll be there too,” Selina then affirmed, and Miho gave a decisive nod.

“Perfect. All I need to do now is get final confirmation from the tournament group,” Miho declared. “Then we wait for the big day.”                  

 Then there was pandemonium.

Women promised a raunchy, rollicking good time, flooded to the Tres Spades – women of society and wealth, dressed as if on their way to an opera performance, hyped for something very, very different.

“Okay, you have got to have some wicked magic powers or something,” Baba told Miho as he and Ota followed her to the venue, “because seriously, you not only got Eisuke to agree to this, you got him to preside over a bunch of dudes with their gear out, groping each other in jello?”

“What can I say,” she shrugged happily, “my patron god is as powerful as she is twisted.”

“I think you need to introduce me to this god,” Ota put in, and this caused Miho to chuckle.

“Believe me, Ota, the last think you want, is her attention,” she laughed. “Though you might get your wish… who knows?”

As they approached staff entrance to the grand hall, arranged like an arena with terraced seating all around its circumference, the noise grew until Miho could barely hear her own thoughts. The three were met at the end of the corridor by a sour looking Soryu, and disconcerted Inui, and a smug looking Mieke.

“I can’t believe Eisuke is going through with this,” Soryu dropped coldly, but Miho was not intimidated by his usual lack of enthusiasm.

“It’s not a difficult equation, Soryu,” she chuckled out. “Eisuke loves power and money, I can deliver him both, even if he doesn’t entirely like my methods.”

“Hell, I approve,” Mieke declared, tipping her chin to Miho, but this caused Inui’s brows to knit.

“You’re really looking forward to this?” he questioned, maybe even looking a little bit hurt.

At that moment, Miho’s phone rang, and she stepped to the side to answer it.

“What are you scowling for? Mieke sniffed at Inui. “We’re here to work.”

“But, you’re still going to watch, right?” he added, and Mieke rolled her eyes. “Other naked men.”

“Other naked men?” Ota repeated with a wicked grin. “You been getting dirty with Sor’s little dog, Genever?”

“Damnit, I’m not a dog!” Inui ejected, then what Ota had implied actually sunk in, and his face exploded with embarrassment.

Mieke on the other hand, looked Ota right in the eyes and grinned back.

“Of course,” she declared triumphantly. “And unlike yours, my puppy doesn’t run away.”

“Hey!” Ota snapped and started forward, Mieke looking like she would happily throw down, but Miho’s hand on Ota’s chest stopped him.

She looked grave.

“Soryu, things are about to get ugly,” she declared, her voice low.

“Problem?” he questioned, and there was no hint of satisfaction at all in his tone.

“Oooh yeah,” Miho grimaced. “That was the tournament organiser. Three of his boys have just been diagnosed with measles, and since they’re all plebs who think dancing under a full moon or going vegan can protect you from scientifically preventable diseases instead of modern, safe vaccines, the rest of them are quarantined as well.”

“It’s going to be a bloodbath if those women don’t see some action soon,” Baba pointed out, leaning toward the door to hear the roar.

“Where’s Eisuke?” Soryu asked, and Miho cracked her neck from side to side like she was preparing for a real fight.

Then she fell completely still, staring off into the distance for a moment, until the thin press of her lips turned into a widening smile.

“Okay, I can fix this,” she declared, looking around at the small group, “but I’m going to need your help.”

“That’s going to cost you,” Ota smirked.

“I pay my debts,” Miho replied.

“Like you even have to ask,” Baba nodded to her easily.

“Soryu, can you and the others position yourselves ring-side?” Miho requested. “Maybe get Kishi down there too, and Aihara – we don’t want our guests to crush the arena in their excitement.”

With a curt nod, Soryu gave Mieke and Inui their directions, before Baba and Ota also moved to enter the arena – but before Ota could pass through the door, Miho caught the back of his shirt.

“If you go along with this,” she whispered against his ear, purposefully kissing the lobe with each word, “I will let you do anything.”

Ota straightened, and turned his head a little, his perverted interest clearly piqued.

“Anything?” he sought in clarification, and Miho leaned her chest against his back a little more firmly, before hissing out her response.

“Woof.”

“Done,” Ota smirked, and then disappeared through the doors.

“Well that was easy,” Miho muttered to herself, pausing to steel herself against her next hurdle. “Now… for Eisuke.”

Continue to Part Three... soon!

Author’s note: I apologise for the short length (not a dick pun for a change), however I thought it best to release a little now, than nothing for ages. I promise though, things are about to get... messy.

OH! And don’t forget to leave comments, especially if there’s something you’d like to see happen - maybe Miho’s patron god will grant your wish!

@nitelotus @hifftn @smutmylifeup @lady0721 Hmm don’t know if any one else cared to be tagged. Let me know if you would like to be.

[downtowns-universe]

The Job

Part 2

Characters: Chris, Jack, Dai

Words: 2883

As they passed through Turnach’s streets, Chris tried to stay as close to Jack as possible. He wouldn’t want to lose sight of him and be stranded here alone. He had no clue where they even were, and more importantly, where they were going. In the meantime he tried to take in as much as he could of his surroundings. The town didn’t seem to have a structure or plan of any kind. Houses of different styles and time periods stood next to each other, with between them a tangle of streets. Some of the bigger roads had cars on them, although there weren’t many of them to be seen. Most of the streets were too narrow and only accessible on foot. And then there were countless alleys, leading between or sometimes even under the houses. These were so narrow Chris could touch the walls on both sides simultaneously. It didn’t take him long to be completely lost in them. He hoped Jack knew where he was going.

He didn’t see many people on the streets, but the ones they passed regarded them with suspicion. Or perhaps he just stared at them too long. At first, the fact that demons just walked around without any kind of disguise had taken him off guard. But why wouldn’t they? This was their home, after all. Still it took him a lot of effort not to instinctively grab his gun every time they turned a corner. Especially in the narrow alleyways, where they had to pass by strangers very close and he’d feel a shoulder or wing brush against him.

Of course, not everyone he saw on the streets frightened him. Some of them looked completely normal, but he didn’t think any of them actually were human. They were either disguised demons, different creatures, or recruited people like Jack. From what he’d seen when they entered Hell, a human wouldn’t be able to get in unsupervised. The entrances were hidden, and if the human didn’t have a pass, they weren’t let in. Even if they did have one, they were still regarded with scrutiny. At the gate they’d examined his bag, and only after some explanation from Jack he’d gotten it back. He’d noticed earlier that Jack tried to act cool, but had still let out a relieved sigh as soon as they’d passed all of the checks. He imagined it would be quite stressful to bring a hunter along to such a place.

Jack suddenly stopped and ducked into an alley, dragging Chris in behind him.

“What is it?” he asked, slightly disorientated.

“Nothing.” He didn’t sound very convincing. “This is just a better route to take.”

“If you say so. You know the place better than I do.”

“I don’t, actually.”

“…What?”

“Never been to this town before,” Jack grinned.

“And you're telling me this now?!”

“I didn’t think it was relevant. I mean, I do know the way.” He tapped the side of his head.

“But you’ve been Downtown before, right?”

“A couple of times. Under supervision. This is the first time I’m allowed in on my own, actually.”

“Just pretend I’m not here. Nice.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. But this time I’m the one supervising. So please behave.”

“I’ll behave as long as everyone else does.”

Chris cast a look over his shoulder when he thought he heard something. Someone had entered the alley behind them. He tried to not look again and to just keep walking, but it was hard. What if they were being followed?

“Will you relax?” Jack sighed after a while.

Chris didn’t respond. Easy for him to say. He wasn’t the one surrounded by enemies, and about to receive a task that would decide the rest of his life. Either he’d fail, which would mean his death, or he’d succeed and be at Hell’s mercy for the rest of his life. He wasn’t such which option frightened him more, to be honest. He’d have to take every job they offered him, a sharp contrast to the freelance work he did now. Before, if a job didn’t feel right, he refused. In the future there’d be no backing out, he’d either do what he was told or be pushed aside. And if he was no longer useful they’d most likely get rid of him permanently. They couldn’t just allow someone with that much knowledge to roam free and possibly share his findings with the other hunters.

“Look,” Jack said in an attempt to break the long awkward silence. “Downtown might seem bad, and life here is definitely more dangerous than on earth… but it’s not Hell. Not every demon you see is out to kill you. A lot of them are just trying to live their life. Their way of life is just very different from what we’re used to. Sure, there’s a lot of people and places you should probably avoid, being a human and all. But overall it isn’t so bad here as you’d think.”

“If it’s so great here then why haven’t you moved here yet?”

“I have things to take care of at home. And it’s not like living here is a requirement. Perhaps if I’d actually have a job here I’d consider it. But for now I’m a bit all over the place.”

“What is it you do, anyway?” Chris asked.

“Oh, all kinds of stuff. Mostly locating things, or people. Gathering information, that sort of thing. There hasn’t been much lately, apart from that job at the DCIO. But that was my biggest job yet, so I’m hoping it left a good impression. I’d sure love to be more than just an errand boy.”

He sighed, then looked back at Chris.

“But for now, I guess watching you is a job,” he grinned.

Chris considered this, then halted. “Wait a minute. What about those times you came to visit me?”

“What about them?”

“Were you there just because he told you to? To keep an eye on me?”

“No, I was there because I was concerned about my friend! The one who hadn’t left the house, or even showered in weeks! Who tried to shoot me when I walked in! Does that sound familiar to you?!”

Jack took a breath to calm down.

Chris shrugged, not sure about what to say. He felt like he wasn’t sure of anything these days, like his head was all foggy. When was the last time he’d showered, anyway?

“Besides,” Jack added. “He wouldn’t need me to watch you anyway, he probably has agents for that.”

“There was an agent spying on me?!”

“Hell, I don’t know. Maybe. Or perhaps you weren’t interesting enough to watch. I know I’d be bored out of my mind watching you.”

“Gee, thanks. You really know how to make someone feel better…”

“It’s my specialty.”

“Definitely.”

Chris cast another look over his shoulder, but the person following them was gone.

“They were just heading for work,” Jack said, like he’d read his mind. And technically, he had.

“This power of yours is creeping me out, you know that?”

“I’m aware.”

Of course he was.

“If it makes you feel any better; I don’t know everything. Just random bits and pieces.”

“So what’s that like?”

Jack thought for a moment.

“Imagine a group of small children constantly asking for your attention. And when you finally listen, they just blurt out some random fact you weren’t really interested to know, like: “hey, I ate cereal for breakfast!” Okay, good for you, small child, now leave me alone.”

“I hope that’s not what you’d actually say to a small child,” Chris laughed.

“Of course not. I just used them as an example since both give me headaches. Although one is a bit worse than the other.”

“That sucks.”

“Sometimes it decides to be nice to me, though. Like when it’s quiet unless I need something.”

“What’s it saying now?”

“Nothing special, really. But a couple of minutes ago it told me Downtown’s administration officially recognises 15 genders. Fifteen! I don’t think I can even name that many. I mean, if I tried a little harder, probably…”

“That’s pretty cool.”

“Yeah, they’re pretty chill about gender and such. Good for you, I guess.”

“So I can cross one thing off the list of reasons to kill me. Such a relief.”

“I suppose so. If it makes you feel better.”

“Not really.”

They’d arrived at a busier part of town, with shops on both sides of the road, and more people regarding them with suspicion.

“This way,” Jack said while taking a right turn.

Chris followed him closely, still not at ease. He noticed the signs in front of the shops were written in a script he didn’t know. Occasionally this was followed by an English translation, but those appeared to be rare. One shop claimed to have Topside specialties – whatever that might mean. Most stores seemed to sell relatively normal things like food, clothes or electronics. Others he couldn’t so easily categorise, although they highly reminded him of new age stores. Although these would probably sell magic that actually worked.

Just when he’d seen something that interested him – weapons – Jack pulled him back.

“Here it is.”

They were standing in front of what appeared to be a coffee shop, judging from the sign, but looked rather peculiar. It was as if someone had started constructing the building, then someone else had taken over but decided they actually wanted to build something completely different, and proceeded to just stack that on top of it. Then there was a side room in yet another style, with big stained glass windows, which was probably also added later. The building towered over the rest of the street, both because of its height and because it slightly leaned forwards.

On the inside it looked exactly the way you’d expect it to look when you’d seen the outside. The interior seemed to be randomly thrown together, with furniture and decoration of all styles and time periods, but somehow still managed to look like it belonged there. The place had a lot of stairs, connecting to elevated floors on different heights, with two or three tables on it. No two tables were alike, and the same went for the chairs surrounding them. The place was lit by strangely glowing spheres, seemingly floating in the air above the tables. Chris wondered whether they stayed there by themselves or if someone was keeping them up all the time. What a boring job that must be.

Figuring out which stairs to take to get to the right place would’ve been a bit of a puzzle if he hadn’t had Jack with him, who immediately took a staircase on the right. Going up, they passed a group of demons who were laughing very loudly, already drinking on the early morning. Although, was it even morning here? It was hard to tell with the greenish looking overcast sky. It might as well be getting dark soon. That portal could’ve taken them anywhere. Were time zones a thing Downtown? He’d have to ask Jack about that later.

Three short flights of stairs higher he spotted someone sitting at a table in the corner, looking at his phone while casually leaning back against the seat’s comfy pillows, a cup of coffee in his hand. Dai looked up when they approached and stored his phone away in his coat pocket. Jack went to sit across from him and Chris hesitantly followed his example.

“You’re late.”

If Chris wanted to make a good first impression, so far it wasn’t going very well.

“I think we’re pretty early,” Jack objected. “Seeing as you’ve only told me we were meeting a few hours ago.”

“You were faster last time, though.”

“Yeah. Chris doesn’t like flying.”

“You haven’t even asked me!” Chris interrupted.

“I don’t need to.”

“I guess you’re right,” he sighed.

They sat in silence while Dai finished the last bit of his coffee. Chris stared at the table, nervously playing with the cords of his hoodie.

“Would you like to order anything?”

He almost jumped out of his seat when the waitress appeared out of nowhere next to their table. He cast a look at the unintelligible menu.

“Uh… a coffee?”

“A coffee for me as well,” Jack said. “Oh, and raserran pie!”

“And for you, sir?”

“Another one of these, please,” Dai said while gesturing at his cup.

“Alright, thank you!”

Chris watched her walk away, to make sure she wouldn’t disappear into thin air again. You never knew in a place like this.

“So, how have you been holding up?” Dai asked.

The question came a bit unexpected as Chris had assumed he’d want to go straight to business. Maybe he didn’t want to bring it up before the waitress had brought them their coffee. With a task like this he had to be careful with prying eyes.

“Uh, I’m alright.”

“If you don’t count the paranoia and lack of sleep, sure,” Jack added.

“Will you never shut up!?”

“What? It’s the truth,” he shrugged.

“Well, I’m sure you did great when you found out Hell is real.”

“Eh, I’d seen some things already. Wasn’t even that surprised,” Jack waved away his comment. “But I thought you already knew Hell existed. I mean, you knew demons existed.”

“True. It’s that Hell now knows I exist that’s the problem.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s a problem,” Dai said. “Because we know who you are, you get to live, while the other hunters will all be dead soon.”

“…Right.”

The waitress arrived with their coffee, and a slice of pie that smelled really good.

“Looks great. What’s in it?” he asked Jack.

“You know, the usual,” Jack said while taking a bite. “Flour, eggs, human organs…”

Chris almost choked on his coffee. “What?”

Jack grinned. “Just kidding. Raserran is a fruit that only grows Downtown.”

“If I’d known you wanted human organs I should’ve picked a different restaurant,” Dai grinned.

“No, thanks. I’m good.”

Chris couldn’t tell whether he was joking or there was really a restaurant like that. He was hoping the former.

“Let’s get to the point. There’s more places I have to be today.”

“Like with Tharryn?” Jack asked.

“That’s none of your business.”

“Why don’t you let me do the talking, okay?” Chris suggested. He figured it would be best for both of them if Jack kept his big mouth shut. Although he’d probably interrupt him again, like he always did.

“…Fine.” Jack sighed. In this situation his powers wouldn’t be of any help anyway, since Dai had a way of blocking them.

“So, what is it you got?” Chris asked.

“Ever heard of the Fae?” Dai asked, after taking a sip of coffee.

“More or less. Never seen one though.”

“I’m not surprised. They tend to keep to themselves, and stay out of human business. But there’s one that doesn’t, and I need you to do something about it.”

“And by that you mean take him out.”

“If I wanted someone to sit down and have a talk with him I’d have picked someone else.”

“Fair enough.”

“I don’t care how you do it, as long as it looks like a hunter kill.”

Chris knew this basically meant ‘make sure it can’t be traced back to me’. He wondered what kind of relationship Downtown and the Fae had.

Dai put a folder on the table and slid it across.

“Everything you need to know is in here. If you can’t find him with this, you should probably reconsider.”

“Can I help?” Jack asked.

“Not with this one. What kind of test would it be if someone else did all the work?”

“You wouldn’t want to be seen on the crime scene either,” Chris added.

“See? He gets it.”

Dai took another sip of his coffee.

“There’s another reason you wouldn’t want to come, but I’ll let you figure that one out for yourself.”

Chris looked at Jack to see if he knew what Dai meant, but he seemed to be just as clueless. He probably wouldn’t figure it out until after they’d left.

Dai cast a glance at his phone.

“Any more questions? I have to go to a meeting.”

“Yeah,” Chris said. “What do I do when it’s done? Do I …call someone?”

“It’s all in the file,” Dai said while getting up. “Like I said, it’s all you need.”

“…Alright.”

“Don’t let anyone read it.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, at least someone calls me sir,” Dai said, side-eyeing Jack before he left.

They watched him walk down several staircases until he disappeared out of sight. Chris noticed he’d forgotten how to breathe properly in the last couple of minutes, and took a deep breath while wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans.

“That was…” Jack started. He didn’t finish his sentence.

“Terrifying?” Chris suggested.

“I was going for ‘weird’, but that works too.”

Jack finished the last bit of his coffee and moved closer.

“So, what’s it say?”

His curiosity winning it from his caution, Chris opened the file. Inside it was only one sheet of paper. With shaking hands, he took it out and looked at it. He flipped it over, then flipped it back, confirming what he thought he’d seen.

It was empty.

[yourrainycollectorhologram-blog]

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"Kansas City Missouri Cheap car insurance quotes zip 64110

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""Classic mini, lessons and insurance for 2.5k?

Classic 998cc mini insurance driving lessons and test all for 2.5k - possible?

""I only pay car insurance, what should my credit score be?""

I have car insurance in my name (I haven't been late on a payment yet), this is the first and only thing I make payments on. What should my credit score be? Also what are small things I can do to bring it up?""

Anyone have an idea about Car Insurance Rates?

Anyone have an idea of car insurance rates in Texas on a camaro for a 16 year old female beginner driver??

Can anyone supply me with a link to get a FREE driving record report...without a hidden cost?

Needing to get insurance but need a report of driving record...every link I click on it ends up costing something....

Annuity insurance in colorado?

what is my coverage for an annuity under Colorado law?

What are the monthly insurance rates for a 2007 GT Eclipse and 2007 GT Tiburon?

I am trying to compare which would be a better/more affordable car to have. I am 19. I know age has alot to do with it, so even if you are older just tell me your payments plz, and if you can estimate how much it would be for me, that would be great. Thanks.""

Is bike insurance cheaper then car insurance?

Is bike insurance cheaper then car insurance?

How much would insurance be for a 1999 Ford ZX2 Escort?

I'm 17, a boy, and I live in maryland just 5 miles from DC. Im getting my first car next saturday and its gonna be a Black 1999 Ford ZX2 Escort. How much can I expect to pay for insurance? I have a clean driving record. Also, my parents dont have car insurance so they have to start a separate account for me. Thanks!""

Can I suspend my car insurance?

I am 18 years old, male, clean driving record, good student, going to college. I will only be going home for occasional weekends, and vacations, and I would like to be insured so I can drive my car (saturn 2000 sl) around. I want to have coverage when I need it, but don't want to pay for a whole year of car insurance. I do not know a lot about car insurance but, Is it possible to just call up my car insurance company (MetLife) whenever I want and suspend or unsuspend my car insurance? This way I don't have to pay for a whole year of car insurance when i am only using it for weekends, week breaks, or winter and summer vacations (probably 5 months per year). Is this a normal practice? Thanks!!""

Auto Insurance??

I was just wondering what people thought is a good price to pay monthly for auto insurance? I went to Progressive.com and saw they have different plans available...I went with one that looked like it had a bunch of things and was around 94ish dollars a month...couple of questions though What is the average you think I should pay? (No traffic violations in the last x amt of years, not since 98, fyi) Also, do you think its worth it for more fuller coverage if I'm going to actually own the car outright and not make payments? Is it worth it to select the rental insurance as one of the options? I don't know anything about what I should get, any help is appareciated!""

In ALABAMA do i need full coverage?

I want a new car...and I was gonna go to a buy here pay here lot, but I was wondering if I need to have full coverage on the vehicle...""

Where do I find good health insurance for my parents?

I've tried ehealthinsurance.com and some other websites. I'm paying $500/ month for just basic health coverage for hospital emergency only. They're 56 and 61 years old and finding anything with good coverage and affordable is impossible. Anyone know what I can do to find better coverage?

Why do Liberals want to be force to pay Health care Insurance?

why can't some people work harder and pay for their own health care insurance? There are some people who are driving without car insurance.... So I don't think there is such thing as affordable health insurance

Kansas City Missouri Cheap car insurance quotes zip 64110

Kansas City Missouri Cheap car insurance quotes zip 64110

Do you believe everyone has a right to medical insurance?

What are the pros and cons of giving everyone access to medical care?

""I am 16 and want a 2003 BMW m5, how much would that cost to insure?""

I live in San Diego, California and have not gotten any tickets.""

How much will my insurance go up from a provisional licence to a UK full licence?

I have recently started to learn to drive in my car with my dad. However my insurance is on a provisional licence how much will it go up by when I pass my test? My insurance company is Admiral and i'm 17 years old.

""In Texas, if you sign to buy a life insurance but change your mind, can you get your money in full amount?""

Last night insurance agents are able to pressure us into buying equity index universal life insurance, this morning we realize that it is too expensive and we'd rather have term life, what can we do? It is from World Financial Group agent.""

Can the government require us to buy insurance?

If the government requires us to buy insurance, cant they force us to buy anything they want? Couldnt they also forbid us to buy something they dont want us to buy? What happens if the insurance cost a million dollars and we don't want to buy it? We can no longer refuse to buy it. We are required to buy through the government. How does that empower the consumer?""

Young drivers (17-18) - What is your insurance?

Hey! Im starting driving and shocked at the cost of insurance! Can't get lower than 3000 on a 1999 1.0 Vauxhall Corsa! Must be doing something wrong. So yeah , 3 questions : 1) What is your age? 2) How much is your insurance? 3) What insurance company are you with and what car? Thanks!""

Are car insurance companies having a laugh?

Me and a friend were taking out some car insurance quotes the other day - entering his information in he got 1700 a year on an old '95 (i think) cincequento, which frankly was hilarious. Then, all we changed was the address so that he lived at my house. It pushed the insurance up to something like 2700. Now I dont get this - he lives in a pretty rough area in my town, right near where all the boy racers live and such. I however live in a small village about 2 miles away and just outside of the town. In my area, the population is about 90% seniors and it is very quiet. I thought insurance companies were supposed to weigh the risks of location against their policy? Why has mine come out a grand more?""

Where to Find Affordable Health and Life Insurance?

Hello, I'm looking for site that offer affordable health and life insurance.Please recommend me such a site.""

Is there a health insurance in PA that covers pre-existing conditions?

I just moved currently, from where my previous employer covered my insurance, now that I have moved, I need a insurance policy that covers immediately as I'm trying to figure out what is wrong. Please help.""

How can the citizens pay the the deductibles for the only health insurance policies that are affordable?

I work 2 part time jobs and neither offer health insurance, so in 2014 I will have to buy some. One comparable to the one I had when I worked a full time job would cost $600 a month but would cover prescriptions with a $20 copay for generics with a $1500 deductible and a $4500 out of pocket maximum. That is out of what I can afford. The one I can afford is only $219 a month but has a $7500 deductible which would have to be met for any benefits and there is a $12,500 out of pocket maximum. If I got very sick I would be wiped out with that one, so it seems that I am in a Catch 22. I don't make that much money ($8 and $10 for the 2 jobs where I work 24 and 18 hours a week respectively.) Now I just pay the doctor out of pocket and I paid $375 this year for office visits and $150 for medicine. That was affordable and now I am forced to pay a premium in addition to the same amounts I paid for the same service. This thing is making me nervous. Affordable to me is no insurance. Give me a cyanide pill if I get a terminal diagnosis because being in the hospital and wiped out financially is not a good quality of life.""

Why doesn't foreigners get to pay insurance?

My friend works for a rental car company and she tells me people who come from abroad don't have to pay for liability or for comprehensive (collision) insurance when they rent a car. This isn't fair for the US citizens who live, work and pay taxes!? When I make a reservation on a website, I have to pay almost $30 a day EXTRA for insurance on a car. That's like half of what the car cost me to rent! Then I gotta pay for insurance when some foreigner could be running a muck, damaging other vehicles because he has free insurance???!!! This is rediculous and I want an answer!""

Teens why is car insurance so expensive?

This morning i was looking at this 2001 ford crown vic. and the owner wanted $700.00 for it, but when I called the insurance company they told me my insurance would be $300.00 per month. why is car insurance so expensive, thats crazy AM I RIGHT?""

CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME?

I have been 18 for a few months now and I'm planning on moving intomy boyfriends parents place in about two weeks. The reason i am waiting is because my grandfather wont let me take my car until i switch the car into my name with my own insurance policy. He has allstate, and i am about to start working at a new job. I will be graduating in june from high school and i live in Virginia. My grandfathers wife (step-grandmother) treats me badly and i need to move away. I have waited 6 years for this since my mom passed away in 2003. I know that none of you will know exactly how much insurance will be but could you give me some insight or a range on how much a month ill pay on insurance and the best policys. I am driving a 2002 Dodge Intrepid, 4 door. I drive everyday about 15-20 miles each day. I am a female, 18 years of age. (19 in september). I did have one traffic light accident that was MY fault but plead no contest and got away with one days worth of driving school. ..if you could please help me that would be great. And much appreciated. Im not sure if you need anymore info, but thats all i can think of right now. AND PLEASE DONT ANSWER IF YOU AE GOING TO ASK how are we supposed to know? BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THATU DONT KNOW ME AND THAT U HAVE NO WA OF KNOWING. I JUST WANT TO KNOW A PRICE RANGE PER MONTH AND HE BEST POLICYS?? thank you, amber.""

How would a Universal health care public option put private health insurance out of business ?

How would a Universal health care public option put private health insurance out of business ?

""Can I register a car in Florida with ny license, insured by someone with fl license?""

I have a ny license, wife has a fl license, we live in ny, can we register the car in Florida? Her name is not on the ownership title, would it help of it was? The car will be insured by her with me as a driver""

Insurance and tottalling cars.?

well my husband totaled our car and we havent done anything with the insurance people yet and im wondering are they going to cover losing our car if we have the lowest insurance on a car that we are still paying payments on??

Husband won't get life insurance?

We just married a few months ago. He bought a house a month before we married through VA loan. We are almost 40, and I believe we need life insurance on each other to cover house, cars, debts, ect.... I have enough on me to cover for my part and some. My husband told me that my name if not on the house so I have not financial bearing. If he dies, I can simply walk out the house and downgrade to a trailer, apartment, rent home, cheper home, whatever.... or I can sell his things to help pay the note... OUr house isn't new and very simple!! regardless, I think this is rude. you don't leave your widowed spouse with all that baggage. He makes plenty that he could afford a policy. I am asking him to cover most of the house, his vehicle, and personal debt... which he has a bunch from before our marriage. Am I being hard on him? He isn;t willing to share checking account or save together. He doesnt want me minding his finaces- none of my business is what he tells me pretty much.""

How Much Would It Cost to insure a Lancer Evo?

How Much Would It Cost to insure a Lancer Evo?

Home Insurance?

If your insurance runs say from 1st November 07 to 1st November 08 and if you make a claim in January 07, and then make another claim on 26th November 07. Does this mean that this is counted as 2 claims differernt years or is this claims counted the same year?""

My son is 21 and wants to get his license. We live in michigan. If i don't tell the insurance wod it go up.

If i don't tell them, would they ever find out he is geting it for job purpose. He is never going to drive me car. thanks""

How much does no claims effect your car insurance?

Ive just had my windows smashed and was wondering whether or not it would be better to just pay for the windows to be repaired rather than go through insurance. I estimate 700 for the windows. I am 19 and have 2 years no claims, any ideas what the best course of action is?""

Parents wont let me drive because im not on car insurance?!?

'm 17 now, and I'm planning on getting my license sometime this month. I was really planning on driving to school everyday after I recieved my license. But my parents flat out said NO, because I'm not covered by insurance. They say its way too expensive, and that I'm going off to college anyway next year (i dont plan on driving while im there). I'm really sick of taking the school bus! I just wanna drive to school. but insurance for teens is mad expensive. are there ways to lower the cost? and about average, how much is it anyway? i get good grades. all A's and very rarely B's. and i've taken drivers ed before too. anything else that would help? just any tips on how i can convince my parents to get my car insurance??!""

How much will a speeding ticket cost my insurance to go up?

I am 16 years old, have been licensed for two months, and recently received a speeding ticket. Assuming that I cannot get the ticket dismissed, how much will it cost my insurance to go up?""

How much does it cost for 2 door car insurance?

Getting my second car soon...found a 2006 honda civic LX...this is a 2 door car (coupe) verrryyy nice and I need to know what insurance would be monthly/yearly for this. I'm still on my parents insurance- 19. Female. No accidents; tickets. North Carolina. College Student. Please help. Thank you.

I just found out i'm pregnant with no insurance?

I just found out I'm pregnant and don't have insurance. I live in California near the Los Angeles/ Orange County line. I am trying to find out if there are any free/low cost clinics I can go to to get checked out? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Kansas City Missouri Cheap car insurance quotes zip 64110

Kansas City Missouri Cheap car insurance quotes zip 64110

Car insurance while buying a car.?

I live in Washington and i plan on buying a car, $700 cash. Do i have to have insurance to drive it off the lot? or can i just go without insurance, i'm not financing or anything, paying full price.""

Will getting a car permit/License increase tax?

I wanted to get my permit and then license as soon as possible. My mom however says by driving there will be an increase on tax she has to pay. Does she mean insurance? I'm not sure what she means by that, so can anyone explain?""

When will the government provide car insurance and life insurance to the uninsured?

There are plenty of people out there that has no car and/or life insurance...do you think Obama and his Progressives need to address this problem also...Come on Where is the outrage? There are life insurance companies and car insurance companies out there making a profit...we need to do something about this...

Massachusetts car registration/insurance?

I need a bit of help here people. Most likely from someone in the Mass area. I just bought a car in RI (Private deal, used). I have a Mass license, so that's where it will be registered. My question is pertaining to where the car is being kept. I work and attend college in RI, so that is where my current residence is. Can I set my insurance to RI where I get my mail, and still have it registered in Ma? Or do I need to use a Mass address for my insurance as well? I called the insurance company and they did not have a clue, and I also called the RMV who just put me on hold for 40 minutes.""

How to get cheap car insurance in my region?

i m little bit worried abt the insurance...

Roughly how much would it cost to insure a 17 year old male on a renault clio 1.2?

Its silver and just a standard model (not sport or anything extra etc..) And is from 2002 (51 reg) any help appriecated thanks :)

Can i keep the insurance money and not fix my car ? can i still buy insurance in future?

I have a BMW 335i which cost around 29k (BUY LAST YEAR with CASH). I was hit by other guy ,he was at fault so their insurance ( B) absolutely must pay to fix my car .Nothing relate to my insurance ( farmer ). they estimate the cost to fix at their shop is 7k while BMW estimate for me is 13k (if there is hidden cost to fix the car, B will have to pay it too,thats the law). I do not want to drive this accident car anymore ,so can i ask them to write me a final check ,for example 15k to cover everything now and in future (for example they accept the deal). i then will sell the damaged car to somebody for cash and buy another one ? my car is still drivable (in my opinion the stucture would cost like 2 k to get it work perfectly,yet if we do not care the look, the cosmetic it will be a super good car to drive) In case i do not sell the car and fix the structure to drive,keep the money , i heard somewhere from yahoo answer that no insurance company will sell you insurance ??? like i can no longer buy farmers insurance if i do not fix my car ??? IS THIS FOR REAL ? ( because i did not make any claim on my insurance FARMER ) Is there any problem with an accident car ( Car title ,etc....) Is it legal in texas to drive a damaged car ? Will they report it to carfax ( i got police report) ..... So that is my case,with your experience Please give me anything that you know about my case, is there any problem with it, does anything will happen in the future Thanks all so much , please help!""

What's this 50 cash back with a car insurance quote all about?

I was quoted 370, clicked on 'buy now' and it said 420.....you get the 50 cash back, in a cheque, through the post after 120 days""

Why is my car insurance so high?

I'm 17 years old and hoping to pass my driving test ASAP. My parents own a ford fiesta 2009 Zetec and both have been driving for over 20 years with clean licenses and no claims. I've been on comparison sites to see what insurance will be like on their car when I've got my full license. But the cheapest I can find is 10,000 Surely I'm doing something wrong because I thought it would be maximum 5,000! I will only do around 1,000 miles and just use it to go McDonald's ;) Seriously though does anyone know any cheap insurance companies or explain to me why it's so high? Thank you!""

""What comes first, insurance or the car?""

When buying my first car, what comes first? Obtaining car insurance, or buying the car? I know you kinda can't have one without the other, so how does it work?""

Will my car insurance premium go up?

I just recently hit a deer and the only car damaged was mine. I am covered under my policy b/cause I had comprehensive. Here's my question: Will my insurance premuims go up if I use the dealership's auto body shop and not the insurance company's auto body shop? This is the first claim I have had with this company and I have been with them for over 7 years.

How do I get Certificate of Insurance for photographers?

Which insurance company should I go to for a policy for photographer. A million dollar coverage in NYC. How much does something like this cost for a year coverage.

Car insurance for a young person?

I've calculated my monthly payment from being a young internet marketer, Which is $3000 a month. How much will money would I Really get if I have car insurance? Is there any other thing I need to know as well?""

A good individual dental insurance plan?

I don't have dental insurance, and my employer doesn't offer any. I seriously need to see a dentist, I haven't been to one since I last had insurance 4 years ago. But I can't afford much right now either. I need a plan that will cover preventive treatment, doesn't have much of a waiting period, and will cover at least some of any major work, because i think I might need some. By the way, I live in central PA.""

Finding the cheapest Medicare Supplemental Insurance?

I'm looking for a good resource to find Medicare Supplemental Insurance, including quotes. Can anyone help?""

Car insurance for open deed of sale?

i was in a car accident, a truck driver bump my car. i bought this car with an open deed of sale. now how will i handle this? the insurance of the car is named after the first owner. will i still have to contact her (the first owner)? will i still have to call the insurance company to let them know? again, this wasn't my fault, the truck bump my car.""

Can i pay gor someone elses car insurance?

Right so my mum bought a car and I love my mummy so I offered to pay for her car insurance but she said I won't be able to do that for some reason so (I'm her son btw) what I'm asking is if I put all the details in her name but put me down as an additional driver can I pay for the car insurance ?, it's cheaper that way too (for me) lol""

Why is a five door car cheaper to insure than a 3 door car?

My father got a quote for a 5 door 1995 ford fiesta yesterday for 240. The previous car was also a fiesta of the same year and same engine but was a 3 door which cost 340 per year. We have had a 5 door ford fiesta before but that cost 340 per year as well, but the engine was the same and it was the same year. Why the difference in insurance cost between 3 and 5 doors?""

""According to the Hillary healthcare proposal, Individuals will be required to get and keep insurance in a

system where insurance is affordable and accesible. Is this a good idea? Why or why not?

How much does a filling cost with insurance? like an estimate?

I'm 19 and clueless, and well i decided to get Metlife insurance, (safeguard) anyways , i know it depends where i go and etc, but i want an idea... just typically speaking

Do adding aftermarket parts to car increase the price of insurance (uk)?

if i add new alloys and add window tints and change the exhaust would it increase the price of insurance and how much and do check the car if it has these parts

How much does car insurance cost?

if you can't give me an exact amount or something that's fine, just give me some kind of ball park.""

Wat insurance should i use?

I'm 19 years old and I have a part time job. Wat is the cheapest insurance I can get? And a good one

Which is the best website to find cheaper car insurance?

I havent found a quote on-line before, and am not keen on supplying all me personal informtion. Is this standard procedure when requestin a quote? Please recommend the best website to find the best deal. Thanks!""

""Going to LA for week, how much does it cost to rent a car?""

I don't want anything too fancy but nothing crap if you know what I mean....just a decent car that will do me for a week. I know insurance will be a killer especially as I am under 25, but my boyfriend is 27 so if we put it in his name will it make it any cheaper? Oh and if anyone knows a good company to rent from, please let me know.....will it be best to go straight to the rental place that's in the airport? Thanks!""

Kansas City Missouri Cheap car insurance quotes zip 64110

Kansas City Missouri Cheap car insurance quotes zip 64110

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/beatrice-insurance-howard-norman/"

[spookyenemyperson-blog]

Visalia California Cheap car insurance quotes zip 93277

"Visalia California Cheap car insurance quotes zip 93277

Visalia California Cheap car insurance quotes zip 93277

BEST ANSWER:  Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://saleinsurancequotes.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr 

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Sure seems like women have a discount on car insurance and married people have it cheaper. But it's the housewives who I see driving gas guzzlers around with soccer stickers on the back. Talking on their mobile phone while driving with coffee in their other hand. They are worse drivers than me. I'm a 24 yr old bachelor & a safe driver.

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I am recently out of the military and need to purchase an individual health ins policy. However, I am not sure which ones are the best. I am a student, do they offer any good student policies? Also, is the SGLI to VGLI conversion a good change to make? If not, which is better term or whole life insurance policies?""

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After market alloys and telling your car insurance company about them?

Hi Guys, I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to car insurance... I recently bought a T reg honda civic, its a 1.4i. It had tyres with wheel trims on them when i bought it. However, I am looking to buy a set of alloys to improve the look of the car. NOT for boy-racing about the place I might add! I was wondering if it would be worth my while getting them if my insurance company are going to charge me more for insuring it including the alloys. I dont want to be running about with the alloys on without letting them know because I know it would make my insurance void. Any ideas what the insurance company are likely to say or do? I have only beening driving since October of 07 so my insurance is already 1200 a year, which is awful and I dont need it to go up much further...""

How much will my insurance be when I start driving next month?

I am turning 16 next month and I'm just wondering what the insurance cost will be. I believe I'll be driving my dads Chevy trailblazer which we've had for 5 or 6 years and has been paid off with no wrecks and such. We live in NC. In one of the country parts (not going to give out where I exactly live sorry creepers). I'll only use it to go to school which is like 5 minutes away and work which is right around that same time and maybe occasionally go into Wilmington which is like 30 min away. Thanks!

Why should someone who is say 40 get cheaper car insurance than a 17 year old?

If for instance they passed on the same day, why should a 17 year be categorised as less responsible than a 40 year old in terms of driving ability? Particularly when chances are due to the insurance gaps and most probably the earnings of these two hypothetical people the 40 year old would be able to afford a more powerful car...""

How much insurance do you guys pay for 2005+ mustang gt?

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I need a home insurance company that will insure me with a criminal conviction for theft in 2008?

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I can't get insurance because I'm not a full time college student what can I do to get insurance?

Ok I'll try to explain this as best I can...so I'm a part time college student and I can't get insurance because I'm only a part time student and I have to be a full time student taking 12 credits to get insurance. I think my doctor is talking about health insurance. I don't know anything about insurance because my dad takes care of that. I can't afford to go to school full time and I don't know what to do.

What is the cheapest auto insurance for teens these days?

I'm 18 and just got my first car. I would like to drive it but sadly have no insurance on it yet. I then looked up quotes and found out it is real expensive, $500 and more. Is there any way a teen like myself can get cheap auto insurance?""

The course of insurance and risk management deals with what?

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Does anyone know of Grange Insurance Company?

My insurance agent recommends that I switch to Grange because they will give me a much lower rate than what I currently have, with the exact same auto insurance coverage. But, I have never heard of this company.""

""What are some cheap first cars, and low insurance.?""

I have 3400, in my bank account and ive been searching for a used car. The most I'd like to spend is 3000, so i have some leftover to get me started on insurance and license plates..Any suggestions on a good first car to look for? Also whats a good Max Milage on a used car? Like 100k? or 150k? I have no clue.""

Im going to buy a car and insure it under my parents name..is a camaro a cheap car to insure?

what are some cars that are cheap on insurance

Question about my car accident and insurance?

Last night I was involved in a 4 car pile up. I was stopped at a red light when i was hit. I felt the impact of all the cars behind me. The lady who caused the accident was drunk. She was arrested. I have state farm full coverage. She has state farm insurance also.. So here is my question: I owe 7000.00 on my car. The car is valued at maybe 6000.00. Even though I was no way in the wrong, will I have to cover the difference if my car is totalled. (which it probably will be) And also, have severe neck pain. I contacted an attorney. As much pain as im in, im scared to miss work. Will this affect my case if i miss no work. (And if i did miss, it would only be for a couple of days)""

Policy for 17 year old driving on traders insurance!?

Can a 17 year old drive an Audi a1 1.4 sport on traders insurance?

How much should i settle with insurance company?

My friend was involved in a car accident sometime in June 2010. The other vehicles driver didn't notice her red light, ran it and hit my frieds car. His vehicle was in the shop for 2 wks and during this time he had to get rides from others. His total med expenses (ambulance, er, scans, dr visits) adds up to about 9000, car damages 3000. The other insurance company is trying to settle for 11500 BUT they are saying that 8000 of that is to repay HIS insurance company. So he is left with 3500.Is this correct or should he ask for more? Please no rude responses.. thanks :D""

No insurance and Pregnant in Florida?

Hey everyone.. im 19 and i just found out last night that there is a good chance of me being pregnant. I took two tests last night and they both came out with a faint pink line and a dark pink line. Now i dont have medical insurance, but im a part time student and i work full-time but my job doesnt offer any insurance coverage. Everyone keeps telling me that i need to go to the docot but i dont know what do do next if i dont have insurance. I' m in Orlando Florida so if anyone can help give me advice on what i should do next id realllllyy appreciate it. Thanks!""

The world of car insurance?

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No medical insurance?

I had pain in my lower right abdomen in january for 7 days. I went to the ER because I don't have medical insurance and someone told me they are good at working payment arrangments. I just got a bill for over 5 thousand dollars in the mail. I called and they said they would send me the paper work via mail to apply for payment arrangments, but I couldn't set it up over the phone. My question is, how good are hospitals (mine is in California) at working with people who don't have medical insurance and have a limited income? I am a full time graduate student so this may be difficult to pay back..""

Why is car insurance so expensive for an 18 year old?

I was looking at quotes and they all range from 1000-1400 just for six months on a Nissan Sentra SR-E spec v. Which insurance is the cheapest and you would recommend. Its for a college student just for school and work.

Cheap car insurance for young people?

i just turned 15. ive gotten a few quotes and all of them are around 300 dollars a month. who should i get my insurance with and what type of car will make it the cheapest.? Please help.

How much is my health/car insurance going to be?

i am a 18 year old girl in california. ive never gotten a ticket or pulled over and i drive a 2010 ford fusion se(4 cyllinder) with all the safety features it offers. i dont think i have bad credit because all i have is a debit card that is attached to my parents accounts and they deposit money in it when i need it. so if i try to go over my limit it doesnt let me. we have triple a insurance and our bank is wells fargo. i dont know if having a job changes the price but ive had 2 other jobs and am currently employed in a new one. ive never been fired only laid off once because i was a seasonal worker and i quit another for not enough hours. all 3 jobs are retail jobs not making more than 9 dollars an hour. also i am a full time student with 12 units in a community college. My parents have basically perfect credit, both of them. does anyone know how much it will be for both health and car insurance if i start paying?""

Visalia California Cheap car insurance quotes zip 93277

Visalia California Cheap car insurance quotes zip 93277

How much do you think my first year of insurance would cost with a v8 engine as my first car in new york?

If i am 16 how much (average) would my first year of car insurance in New York cost if i get an 8 cylinder 5 speed car?

What's the insurance price for a 10 ft boat?

I would like to know how much The insurance would cost for a 10 ft fiberglass fishing boat? Anyone can give me an estimate? Thanks

Can I get earthquake inusrance for my fish tank?

Does such a thing exist? I live in Southern California and people keep saying we're due for a big one and Im pretty sure it would break my tank.

Car insurance how much am I going to pay for this?>?

Im wanting to buy a jeep, 200 jeep grand Cherokee its 4X4 and $3999. Its Black with leather seats. Very nice jeep. Id like to get it. Ive had my jeep in my boyfriends, stepdads Garage for almost a Year. They keep putting me off and I just Want to get my own thing. Im tired of borrowing there cars. The jeep I had thats in there shop is an old 1990 cherokee. and its was under my boyfreinds insurance All state. He says its expensive to get my own. I see quotes all over the place. Ive never been in a wreck nor have ever got a speeding ticket. Im responisbile have my own job. Im 23. Every time I bring up the fact that I want to just go to the dealership to get a car. He says Ill pay Alot becuase its a jeep and since its not all paid off I will be paying Alot. Im thinking about getting a loan. Ive got 700 in the bank right now. I dont have any lines of credit. I really need to know how much insurance for Good insurance will it be. I have no clue what anything is with insurance policys or what. Just clue me in. PLease. thanks""

Affordable medical plan for newborns?

i know there is WIC to cover if dont make enough money to pay for alot of food besides the bills, and the childs shots are covered through the pregnancy medicaid (if you have it) for ...show more""

Will my car insurance rates go up if another driver lives at my address who is not under my plan?

I have an insurance plan that covers myself and my wife. Recently my son switched insurance plans to the same carrier that I have with his own insurance policy for his car that he ...show more

Work hourly - my health insurance in CA is $400.00 per mo. Where can I get cheaper H insurance?

I have migraines and take low dose seizures meds (no seizure in 5 years) so work insurance would not insure me. Other insurance is $400 per mo. and $500 deductible for meds. Where can I find cheaper Health insurance in LA, CA. Deparate""

How much would my monthly insurance bill be (18yr old male)(i just want a ball park figure)??

When I turn 18 I am going to buy my first car (im 17 now). I can't decide which car I want to get. Please tell me about how much insurance will cost me for each one. I will be on my own policy. I will get my license just before Im 18. I live in California. My car choices are: 1. 2009 Nissan Versa Hatchback 1.8S 2. 2009 Honda Civic Sedan LX 3. 2009 Toyota Matrix S 4. 2009 Chevrolet Aveo Sedan LT

How much will my insurance go up?

I recently crash my car into a bush going 50 with 4 other people in it. The car costed $2000 and I totaled my car and the police came. My 6 months weren't up so I wasn't supposed to have anyone in the car with me so I got a ticket for that and I got a ticket for reckless driving plus my license suspended. How much will my insurance go up?

""Please, what company can I get maternity insurance coverage with in Florida?""

My husband and I are not yet pregnant, but we are already trying. We do not qualify for medicaid and have no health insurance. We do not want to wait the twelve month waiting period before getting pregnant. So far my only option seems to be Ameriplan. I was hoping for more options.""

Car insurance after a DUI?

I know everything I have to get with SR22 Interlock, etc... I'm just wondering if I should look into more popular car insurance companies like progressive, allstate,..... Or if local ones will be better/cheaper? Any advice or help is appreciated thank you!""

How much does insurance cost for TLC/taxi in New York ?

I want to register my Honda accord 2008 to be a taxi. How much would my insurance cost ? Thank you

Vehicle damaged..have ? about insurance?

A tree fell on my vehicle during Hurricane Ike. My husband thinks there may be at least $10000 worth of damage to it. I looked it up on kelly blue book and its only worth approx 9000.00. I tried trading it in a few weeks ago and they only wanted to give me $5000, I'm glad I didn't take that one. I purchased the GAP insurance thru the dealership. Do you think Allstate will just total it and let the GAP insurance pay the balance of my loan. I'm really really upside down. It really looks cosmetic to me but there are things hanging underneath it and it is very hard to drive. I think it would be cheaper for the insurance company to total it and let GAP take the rest. How does that work?""

How do i get health insurance?

im 19 years old, im not pregnant, i have no children... im really clueless to the whats and hows im in college, im not no disabled, or blind or anything.. i just dont have health insurance.. i do have a summer job, but its not steady & once i go to school in the fall i wont be working anymore. i know medicaid is good but idk if im eligible, & idk who will accept me... i really dk anything lol. i do know i need health insurance! please help?""

Drive without car insurance?

i can't afford car insurance right now... i just have too many other obligations. does anyone else care to comment on what its like to drive without insurance? what happens if you get caught?

""If you do not have health insurance, what is the most affordable and safe way to get a knee replacement?""

If you do not have health insurance, what is the most affordable and safe way to get a knee replacement?""

Whats the cheapest insurance out there?

whats the cheapest insurance out there for a 1998 Pontiac grand prix!!

Best Insurance company?

What is the best insurrance company for both auto and home please let me know as soon as possible - I live in WV

Types of car insurances?

types of car insurances available?

""In California, is there a penalty for not having car insurance, even if it's temporarily?""

The car insurance on one of my cars runs out in a few days, and the insurance for the second car runs out at the end of this month. I was thinking of holding off on getting insurance for car #1 and start a policy for two cars at the same time. Of course, I don't intend to drive car #1 while it's not insured, it will just sit in my driveway. I heard that in some states, they will charge you for each day that your car is without insurance, even if you don't drive it. Is that the case for California?""

What is the Performance break down for State Farm Insurance?

For example: The statements for Sun Lifes performance is broken down into both geographic and market segments. These segments are: Sun Life Canada, Sun Life US, MFS Investment Management, Sun Life Asia and Corporate insurance. I am unable to find this information about State farm online, any help would be much appreciated! thanks a lot.""

I want to know how much the car insurance is going to cost me if i get a peugeot 106 quicksilver or?

a Golf Mark 4 with Pass plus and Without Pass Plus? TY Im 17years old aswell and havent passed yet will do soon

On average how much would monthly insurance be on a 2012 rolls royce ghost?

On average how much would monthly insurance be on a 2012 rolls royce ghost?

Is Texas a no-fault insurance state?

My G-Friend recently met with a car accident and we are still waiting for the accident report to determine the fault. She was not hurt but the other driver was hospitalized. Your opinions and suggestions welcome about how to handle this with Insurance company and attorney if required.

Can I drop my non-owners insurance policy after I get my revoked license back?

I got a DWAI a while ago, and I will be eligible to reapply for a license soon. In order to do this, I have to apply for non-owner's car insurance and fill out an SR-22 form. After I have gotten my license back, can I legally drop the non-owner's insurance? I have never owned a car or had insurance before, so I have no idea how car insurance policies work.""

Visalia California Cheap car insurance quotes zip 93277

Visalia California Cheap car insurance quotes zip 93277

""Can I buy a car, Insure it under my moms name, and have myself as another driver on the policy?""

Basically I totaled my car, and my driving record already is bad. So I'm wondering if its possible to buy a car cash, insure it in my moms name(she doesn't drive) put the bare minimum aloud by state law(massachusetts) insurance on it. And also put me as another or secondary driver. Thank you""

Car insurance premium went up because of the state?

I noticed that my monthly car insurance bill increased by about $40. When I called my insurance company to ask why my premium went up (since there were no accidents, changes in cars or policy/discount changes), the rep told me that it was because of the state. I knew he meant government and he said it's been happening all across the country but the increases are highest in California, New York, New Jersey and Florida. I live in California. Has anyone else experienced this? Can someone explain to me in specifics what the government may have done that lead to the increase?""

Would a warrant for a no insurance ticket affect me in california from minnesota?

Would a warrant for a no insurance ticket affect me in california from minnesota?

Cheap Car Insurance in Kentucky?

Next month my husband and I are going to need to get car insurance. So this month I'm shopping around for the best deals. I was wondering which were the best rated or cheapest companies that are for drivers in Kentucky. I'm looking for companies with good discounts too please. Thank you.

How much is one day car insurance?

My friends and I are going to be taking a trip to a place about 3 hours away, and returning the same day. We're borrowing a car and the owner is asking us to cover one-day insurance. I've had some trouble getting some quotes and I was wondering what a ballpark range is? Less than $50?""

California Health Insurance?

I am looking to get health insurance for a year, more to take care of neglected issues than to cover my butt if I get sick/hurt (I'm 27, betting on youth and good health!). Kaiser seems to be the most appealing because they cover a broader range of services. I am namely interested in physical therapy (winged scapula), dermatology (oily skin/acne), perhaps mental illness services as I have suffered from depression (although I somewhat consider it a problem of my past). I'm aware insurance plans won't cover preexisting conditions, but how can they really prove these issues didn't start yesterday, right? I'm overwhelmed with my choices. Is it worth paying $330/mo for $0 deductible, 0% coinsurance, $40 co pays and a max out of pocket @ $3000? Or is it smarter to pay $166/mo, $2700 deductible, 0% coinsurance, $0 co pays after deductible, and max out of pocket @ $5000 (including deductible)? Etc. I have put off getting insurance because I'm scared I will pick a completely inappropriate plan. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?""

What is a good Car insurance company comparison site?

What is a good Car insurance company comparison site?

""At age 60 without employment,i need affordable insurance please help.?""

At age 60 without employment,i need affordable insurance please help.?""

Value Of Car Set By Insurance Company?

My car was recently stolen and declared a total lost, when I first got insurance on this car the new or used cost value was set by my insurance company for $19,000. Now that my car is a total lost they only said they can give me the fair market value only. Why did they set a price of $19,000?""

Can my car insurance company take action on a DUI without a conviction?

I was stopped for a DUI, but have not yet been convicted since the court process takes forever... Well I would like to buy a new car, and it looks like my insurance company will check my record at that time. I have just checked out my record myself, and it shows that I have had my license suspended for 6 month for DUI, but it does not say that I have been convicted of the DUI. I have reason to believe that the charges will be dropped. Can they raise my rates or drop me at this point? Without a conviction?""

What make and model is the cheapest car to get insurance on?

what make and model is the cheapest car to get insurance on? for a 22year old female

""If I reported someone for a hit-and-run, can my insurance company raise my rates?""

My Dad takes care of our family car insurance policy with Mercury. Recently, they have asked about an incident which matches the date of a hit-and-run which I reported to police. Someone backed up into my car while I was not-in-motion, waiting to turn left at a four way intersection. They refused to pull over or get out of their car, and sped off soon after, so I reported it to the police. Now, Mercury wants to talk to me about it. The problem is that my Dad is convinced they will use this against me to get more money from us, because I was the only party who reported the incident. I did not file a claim with my insurance company because the only damage was minimal. How should I best handle this? It seems absurd that doing the right thing-- reporting an irresponsible driver-- could result in a penalty for me, doesn't it?""

""First ticket, no points, insurance increase?""

I just got my first ticket, clocked at 60 mph in a 45 mph zone. I'm 17 years old, driving my dad's car. The officer didn't give me any points for it and the fine was drastically lowered, considering the fact that I only went 60 for a little and breaked right after. Do you think my insurance will raise? I live in Pennsylvania and have Allstate. If it raises, how much extra per month will I be looking at?""

Cheap car insurance! help please.?

I need to get new car insurance but im not sure where to go. My insurance is about to expire and i don't want to stay with them because its at about $230 a month.((WHICH IS MORE ...show more

""50 in a 40, first ticket ever. Insurance?""

I got a ticket for going 50 in a 40 tonight. My gas was PASSED E, and I was turning into the gas station. I realize that doesn't do anything for my case. I'm 17. I've never been in a wreck, never been pulled over. The cop (who is a friend's dad) said that I go to court Oct 1 and if I'm eligible for Defensive Driving I can take it, and it wont go on my driving record. Question is, does this affect my insurance rate at all? I pay my own insurance. I have State Farm.""

If requiring people to have car insurance is the same as requiring them to have health insurance than why?

Wont the government help you pay your car insurance if you cant afford it? Isn't car insurance a basic human right?

How much money can I expect to recieve from my insurance company after my car is declared a 'total loss'?

I was rear ended (not at fault) the other day my car was totaled. My car was a red 1999 Ford Taurus SE with 146,000. At first i was happy it was gone, but im now starting to think im not going to receive very much for it from my insurance company. It had recently failed the state(MA) inspection and needed some work (about $500 to pass). I looked up the Kelley Blue Book private party value in fair condition and it gave me an estimate of $1,450.... Really? Thats it?""

What would be insurance on a Sentra SER/Spec?

I'm 16 and looking for a car. Im not getting this car, I just want to know. Ok, so I have no accidents or tickets and a B average student or higher. I'm a safe driver and everything. How much would it be for 6 Months?""

""What are some good, low cost family health insurance plans for us...?""

My husband and I need health insurance. He is a full time student and I am full time worker. We cannot get decent health insurance through his school or my work. We are looking for a low deductable, 0% coinsurance, and we need something with great maternity coverage, since we're planning on starting a family soon. If you know of any great plans like this, please share! Thank you for your help!""

Car Insurance.?

My dad has insurance on his '92 Ford. I will be getting my license in November. I will be driving a '99 GMC Sierra. I was wondering about how much my insurance would be every 3 months. We are insured by Shelter Insurance of Louisiana. What is the cheapest way of getting insurance? Like would it be cheaper if i went under my dads are what? Please help 16 Male Louisiana insured by Shield of Shelter. Louisiana =] Thanks

""How can I find affordable health insurance that covers chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, or both?""

I live in Colorado. I only make slightly above minimum wage. I am not eligible for health care benefits through work. I have a chronic issue and am in pain if I do not go. I spend $250 on chiropractic and $250 on acupuncture for a grand total of $500 a month. Is there a health insurance plan that could cover either one or both kinds of treatments for less than $500 a month? If not, I will just continue to pay out of pocket although it is very expensive.""

I have a question about business insurance?

I just received the Insurance Premium Quote and General Commercial Liability from this Insurance company. In the last page they claim that their company is not licensed by the state of California (nonadmitted or surplus line). It says: The Insurer is not subject to the financial solvency regulation and enforcement which applies to California Licensed Insurers. The Insurer does not participate in any of the insurance guaranteed funds created by California Law. Therefore these funds can not pay your claims or protect your assets if the insurer becomes insolvent and is unable to make payments as promised . So I checked the www.insurance.ca.gov and this guys are there, as active. However, should I trust them? What this notice exactly mean?""

Which Insurance Companies still have affordable maternity coverage?

My wife and me want to have a child. However, we are having a hard time finding a insurance company that provides maternity coverage at a affordable rate. Can someone help us?""

Affordable motorcycle insurance?

I live in Michigan and currently have motorcycle insurance w/Progressive. Unfortunately, they only offer an annual rate at $230.00. Living in the midwest, I only ride the bike for 5 to 6 months if I'm lucky. Do you know of a reputable insurance carrier that offers monthly or 3 to 6 months coverage??? Its ridiculous to pay for an entire year when I barely ride for half. Thanks!""

Child support/car insurance?

Ok so I just got my liscense and I bought half my trck and my mom bought the other half. So is it right for my dad not to pay for my insurance? And does child support cover car insurance. . .plz just give me your opinion/facts on the whole ordeal.... Have not found job just turned 15..btw Thank you all

Visalia California Cheap car insurance quotes zip 93277

Visalia California Cheap car insurance quotes zip 93277

Truck registration in different state health insurance?

I lived in california and drove a car my dad had under his name on the title. He died and i moved to montana with that same car. I have been on my step moms health insurance plan for some time. I am legally able to be on her plan as long as i list myself as being in the same household until age 26. I was wondering if i register that truck in my name if uncle sam can find out i moved and thus making my health insurance unusable. Should i just drop my step moms insurance and struggle to get my own? What are my options?

What is the cheapest insurance for a new driver?

I'm a new driver and I don't make much but I do need insurance so what is a cheap one?

How likely is it that my car insurance will go up due to this?

Haven't had a claim in over ten years Haven't gotten a ticket in probably 5 years. But, the neighbor kid did $2K worth of damage to my car with his bike in three separate incidents. Basically, half of it will have to be repainted! I'd really, really rather not go to court. His insurance is NOT an option in this case. He doesn't have $2,000 laying around. IF I go the much easier route of getting him to pay at least my deductible, how likely is State Farm to raise my rates with a, after deductible, claim of about $1500 or so? Any relevant advice/comment is appreciated.""

How much higher is the maintance cost on a BMW vs Ford/Chevy/Dodge?

i want to get a bmw as my first car, i can afford the car, insurance, taxes all that junk but what i dont no about are the service costs? compared to a regular car how much higher will they be.""

Jeep Wrangler: Insurance coverage costs?

I am a girl beginning driver, turning 17. I live in a rural area. I want a 1999 Jeep Wrangler SE. I am part of my family's plan. Does anybody have a price about what would cost a month/year? Thanks.""

Putting someone on my car insurance policy?

Can i add my brother and his car to my insurance policy? He doesn't have insurance cuz he can't afford the whole big down payment to start his own policy. Can i just add him and his car to mine? I don't drive his car and he doesn't drive mine, so would that work?""

How much do you think motorcycle insurance would be for me?

I am 23 and don't have my motorcycle license yet. I have had my own car insured for 5 years with no speeding tickets or accidents or anything if that makes a difference. I currently pay like $100 a month for auto insurance. I would get an older bike (1980s) that is small (maybe 600 cc)... nothing sporty or anything. Also, how does motorcycle insurance work in terms of paying it during the winter when Im not driving it? Thanks, Chris""

How should i best pay car insurance?

Okay, so I'm trying to understand car insurance. It says my premium is $833.75 which I guess is the total amount for the insurance for the entire year. I pay $157/month for the full year which is $1000 over that premium. Is that correct? Can I change my month to month plan to annual and just pay the rest of what I owe up front to save me money? Why does it cost so much more month to month?""

What's a good job with good health insurance not needing a degree or experience?

I'm a college student looking to find a good job that has affordable health insurance all on which i can find an affordable place to live. Most factory's that have these benefits start with a low pay rate that doesn't seem worth it (after gas is taken out). Any ideas?

Would insurance consider a 6 cylinder Pontiac grand am/prix a sports car?

i want a grand am/prix as my first car but my parents cant afford sports car insurance for a brand new 16 year old driver, also what could my parents expect to pay up to on insurance. ...show more""

What is the best website for cheap car insurance?

Im going to be driving soon but the insurance for young drivers is ridiculous. I just want to know what insurance company does the best insurance deals for new drivers. Thank you!! :D

Car insurance?

I got NYC Driver's lisence but my car is register under someone else's name in New Jersey. If i get a ticket speeding ticket I know it will affect my record but my question is, will it also affect the insurance of the guy the car is register under? if so how much?""

Will my insurance go up?

I got two speeding tickets not to long ago, they where 145 dollars each. On both of the tickets i was going 75 mph and speed limit was 60 mph. I already paid for the both tickets, they got reduced by 45 dollars each ticket. I was wondering by how much will my insurance go up and when does it go up. Its my dad insurance and he has my car on his insurance. Will the insurance go up only on my car or both of the cars on same insurance and is there any way you can take those tickets of the record. Like traffic schools..""

What's the best way to shop for insurance? Through a broker or online?

A broker has many insurance and knows where to shop if I go online am I going to be get the best rate?

""Cheapest motorcycle for a 20-21 year old. Parameters: price, fuel economy, and insurance. Please help?""

I am 20 years old but will be turning 21 in late spring, and i was planning to buy a motorcycle with my tax return coming up (down payment and first/few insurance payments depending on whether i go monthly or biyearly). I was wondering what the Y!A community thought would be the cheapest on me when it comes to balancing initial price, fuel economy, and insurance prices for someone my age. I was thinking a moderately powered large roadster-style bike (i'm reluctant to say chopper...i hate that word) that doesn't go too much above freeway speeds, but i'm open to hearing other people's suggestions. I'm from southern illinois, and am a large guy, but not giant. No crotch-rockets please.""

What is a very general cost for motorcycle (cruiser) insurance for a teen?

I am a 16 year old living in Kansas City, Kansas. I just need a very general quote for the annual cost for a cruiser motorcycle less than 600cc. A small bike with not a ton of power. I have taken a Basic Rider Course. I've never been involved in an accident car wise. Would it be wise to just have my dad insure it under his name? Are there any potential consequences for that? I only need liability as the bike is only worth around $1300. I have not bought one yet.""

Who sells the cheapest auto insurance online? Thank you in advance.?

Who sells the cheapest auto insurance online? Thank you in advance.?

What aspects of insuring a car make it cheaper?

I'm new to insuring a car, i haven't bought a car and i'm open to ideas. I know i'm looking for a small engine around 1.0 litre but what else helps to keep the insurance as low as possible? And i've heard Ford KA's are one of the cheapest cars to insure? Any help and advice you give me about what to look for and insurance would be very appreciated Thanks, Drew :)""

New York State Car Insurance Question?

A friend of mine had his car parked in front of his house in the street. A drunk driver without a license hit it while it was parked, left the car and ran off on foot. Turns out the person driving was not the owner of the car, he did not steal it, the owner let him borrow it. My friend's insurance company is telling him that they need some kind of acknowledgment by the owner of the car, admitting to wrong doing, before they can process his claim. Does this sound correct?""

How much is car insurance in nyc?

Im 23 years this is my first car ever a 1998 FORD EXPEDITION wanted to now how much car insurance im looking at.

Can you have more than two car insurance policies in New Jersey?

I am under my dad insurance and so is one of my cars. Is it possible for me to be under another insurance with my other car or thats not possible.

Car Insurance decrease or increase?

I'm purchasing a 2012 Toyota Aygo within the coming weeks but I cannot be quoted on the insurance as the 2012 registration plates have not yet come up on the database of the insurance company I would like to go with. I have had a quote for 'nearly' the exact car but a 2011 version. Does anybody have a rough idea if the insurance is likely to increase or decrease with it being a 2012 model? Thanks :)

Insurance Companies?

What kind of jobs are there at insurance companies and what is the salary for those jobs?

""After car insurance expires, how many days do you have to renew it?""

My friend just got his car towed for no insurance, I thought you have 30 days after the effective date. Can someone please tell me so I can help him get his car back. SERIOUS ANSWERS ONLY!""

What is the cost of insurance for a bugatti?

What is the cost of insurance for a bugatti?

Visalia California Cheap car insurance quotes zip 93277

Visalia California Cheap car insurance quotes zip 93277

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/do-amount-miles-driven-affect-auto-insurance-rates-luis-church/"

[sizzlingcrusadebouquetfan-blog]

What other types of insurance should I get?

"What other types of insurance should I get?

So far I'm going to get family health insurance, life insurance, and Car insurance. I'm going to have kids. Anything else I should have? We rarely have natural disasters where I'm from.

BEST ANSWER:  Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://financeandcreditsolutions.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr 

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Hi, i live in Florida,im 18 no matter what im trying to do my dad finds a way to not make it happen,and im starting college Monday and i have to drive myself and i made an apponitment for this Friday to take the written exam and the road test,my dad went to go put me on the insurance today, and he told me that they told him i cant be on his insurance because quote from my dad that he was told by the insurance ladie im a girl,im under 21, and i live with them. or they have to pay $3,000 he said its florida direct or florida no-fault for his insurance. does this sound like hes lying to me or is this all true? Thank you.""

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Free Auto Insurance Quotes At What Website?

I have been looking for a site that gives Free Auto Insurance Quotes, everywhere I have found wants to charge me or run my credit. Can anyone help me? All I want is a Free Auto Insurance Quote is that to hard to find?""

""Primary Mortgage Insurance, California?""

I live in southern California. I recently called my bank about refinancing my mortgage. I was advised if I refinance, the PMI insurance I pay will go from $168 to about $340 or something. In other words, by lowering my rate, my PMI goes up. Is this true? I would assume the PMI would lower or stay the same since its now easier to make payments. Please advise...""

What size engine should i get for cheap insurance?

It will be my first car, and i don't really want to be paying allot on insurance, but want a nice nippy little motor. So what size is cheap for insurance but not too small to be really really slow lol.""

What is an acceptable car insurance cost for newly passed 19 yr old male?

What's the acceptable range? Please don't start giving me infos about quotes and stuffs, i've done them all thousands times, just asking for A PRICE you would think as FINE. (sorry to say this, but i asked similar qstns 10-12 times before, but no one answered correctly) thank you""

Getting married early for health insurance?

I'm wondering if there are any risks to getting married early in order to qualify for future spouses health insurance? For example, what are the tax implications to getting married? Were already engaged and were planning to marry later next year, but now that Im between jobs it would be much more affordable to access spousal health insurance rather than COBRA.""

Auto insurance cost?

I can't really get a quote from a car insurance web site. (It's a long story) I don't really know much about auto insurance at all. How much do you think my insurance would be? I'm a 20 year old female. I haven't ever had a ticket. The car I am potentially buying is a 2009 jeep grand Cherokee. that's $30,000 to $35,000. I would have a $20,000 loan. (my father would be co signing) since I have a loan I'd have to get full coverage. Any one got any idea of how much my rates would be?""

""In California, how long does an auto insurance company have to respond to a claim?""

So i'm going on week 3 of dealing with another a car accident claim. A landscaping truck backed into my parked car a few weeks ago. I got the company's insurance info and reported it to my insurance the same day. A week later I hear back from my insurer telling me that the other persons insurance company was unable to reach the driver or the owner of the landscaping company for a statement and they could not accept liability until they receive a statement. In California, is there a limit on how much time an insurance company has to accept a claim? Luckily, the gas station where the accident happened was nice enough to give me the secularist film which makes this pretty cut and dry (should push come to shove). Thank you!""

Salvage car insurance?

If I have nissan 350z roadstar 2006 salvage car with only 13 000 miles and I have only liability insurance. Now If someone else hits my car(AND ITS HIS MISTAKE) and I have damage, what would the other insurance party will give me? Would they fix my car if it has big damage?If they total it, how much would they pay? i UNDERSTAND THAT SALVAGE CARS ARE FAR LESS WORTH ,HENCE I AM ONLY BUYING LIABILITY ON IT. BUT WHAT IF MY CAR IS DAMAGED BY SOMEONE ELSE MISTAKE?""

Average Car insurance in NY? I feel like I am being ripped off?

I understand age , tickets , and car type are all variables. I Have a 3 year old new car from 2010 *just a normal 4 door sedan* and the insurance seems VERY high... I am 22 years old and was curious to know what a good price is out there in the NY area""

Where do I find florida health insurance ?

I am looking for a health insurance quote for florida health insurance. I am looking for cheap florida health insurance.

Car insurance first? car first? what to do?

Going to buy my first car new off the lot. Do I Buy the car first and drive it off the lot ILLEGALLY and then get insurance? OR can i get Car insurance without a car and then buy the car? How does this work if I am not insured and don't have a car?

Company car insurance?

Hi Can anyone help me re company car insurance I am currently getting a company car and now under the companies insurance, so dont need my own private insurance. I currently have 9 years NCD. I am now worried, what happens if I leave the company in a few years time, do I have to start from scratch again with no NCD, or can I still use my 9 years NCD anyone know (I have read they are valid for 2 years) I have asked Direct Line (my insurer) and they cant give me a straight answer, I get something different each time. I wanted to know if I was involved in an accident with company insurance I appreciate I have to state that when going back to private insurance but if I had an accident and had no NCD my premium would be sky high which I find unfair if I lose my 9 years NCD as I have not actually taken a break from driving. Does that make sense? hope someone can help me Thanks, Steve""

What kind of insurance would i get for a honda cbr 600 (im 16)?

im moving out to california after highschool to pursue the music industry so i figured it might pay for itself in gas money, but then i started to think about insurance...""

Why should someone who is say 40 get cheaper car insurance than a 17 year old?

If for instance they passed on the same day, why should a 17 year be categorised as less responsible than a 40 year old in terms of driving ability? Particularly when chances are due to the insurance gaps and most probably the earnings of these two hypothetical people the 40 year old would be able to afford a more powerful car...""

""Motorcycle questions? Good old, cheap and cool bike? Insurance?""

Im looking at buying a motorcycle! :) I dont need one that is too quick, I just learned how to drive one and I loved it. I want to get one for the summer. I dont want to pay over 1500, and it doesnt need to be too fast. (what is the 2002 honda civic of motorcycles?) I just want it to be kind of cool looking. I saw a 1985 honda (with the wing on it?) that looked really cool. Im 17, and I want to get one that will only be insured for the summer. For one with a small engine, what is the insurance cost? I know it varies, but does anyone have any ideas? Thanks Matt""

What is the best insurance and the cheapest one you think?

What is the best insurance and the cheapest one you think?

How long after someone dies to get life insurance benefits?

my grandmother died about 2 weeks ago and i was wondering when her life insurance policy would go through so we can receive the money from it to manage her estate, we heard that probate takes about 16 months, but we cant wait that long for the insurance so how long does it usually take?""

Car insurance rates question plz help 10 pts?

I pay $187 a mth for car insurance & that's full coverage with $500 deduct. The reason I was told I'm paying that much was bc of a big wreck I had back in Aug 2010 and since it's coming up on 3 yrs and my premium expires in Aug I'm expecting my rates to go down a little. My insurance company jus told me that that's not why I'm paying that much it's bc of 2 speeding tickets I got back in 2010 Feb & April bt when my premium expires in Aug my rates will go down. My question is can you guys give me a estimate on how much you think I'll be paying in Aug when my rates go down??! I live in S.C. Btw Thanks so much in advance

Why do companies that claim to offer them the best insurance quotes sell leads?

I was shopping around for insurance quotes on my home and cars. Many of the websites that I came across claimed to offer the best quotes from different companies thereby getting me the best price. I started filling out a few forms and, for once, I decided to read the fine print ( you know that small font form we all click agree on). Basically what I found was that the company used 4 agencies that paid them to contact me. What the site was trying to advertise to me was that i would have he best possible quote in the world without having to call up the many insurance agencies around me individually. In reality the fine print ( which in the case of the Internet can be 25 clicks hidden) states that they offer quotes from companies that pay them. Why not state that the information I'm giving them is a lead and that people that get it pay for my information and those that don't do not get it. What about some insurance company that can't afford to pay for my information but can offer me cheaper insurance than those that do pay hat site? I wouldn't be so ticked off if these sites simply stated that they sell our information. Rather than try to make it seem as they find you the best price. False advertising is a cancer. http://www.4freequotes.com/web2000/agents/ http://www.netquote.com/about/media-kit.aspx http://www.netquote.com/affiliate/ http://www.2insure4less.com/insurance-leads http://adrianasinsurance.com/about_adrianas/terms/ Go to any free quote webite and read their privacy policy and the page that's made for affiliates/agents, you will clearly see how your information is sold.""

What other types of insurance should I get?

So far I'm going to get family health insurance, life insurance, and Car insurance. I'm going to have kids. Anything else I should have? We rarely have natural disasters where I'm from.

Would I need car insurance before purchasing a used car from a private dealer?

I'm 18, I'll be 19 by the time I purchase my first car & I was wondering do I need car insurance before I buy the vehicle. I've never done this before so I have no idea how this works.""

Is there any website I can use to get cheap car insurance?

I've been using Auto Trader insurance comparison and the cheapest I can find is 4,400 ? Yes I'm 18 and I realise it's going to be expensive, but come on ! The cars only 750 ! No way am I paying that much, I will honestly drive without insurance as it's a pure joke to be expected to pay 4,400. I don't believe I should have to pay that much. I only want a car to drive to the Gym and that is honestly all. It's like having to pay 4,400 for the Gym a day !""

Does anybody know the average daily cost of having your newborn stay in the NICU?

I know most people have insurance that helps cover a certain %, but what amount is the real cost that the hospital bills the insurance company and the patient pay?""

How much does it cost on average to insure your license?

through any insurance company. :) I just want to know how much on average.

Could health insurance work if we used the free market system?

The history of Health Insurance is that employers started offering it as a benefit as a way to entice employees to work for them. Prior to the Affordable Health Care Act, the only real choice consumers had was to go with whatever their HR Director, or Benefits Director, said they could have. I've wondered for a long time, why does health insurance not work like car insurance, for example. Why not completely seperate the relationship between Health Insurance providers and Employers and let people get Insurance from whomever they choose? That way, if you change jobs you can just keep your insurance. If your insurance company is screwing you over then you can go somewhere else? I am not a finance or economics expert. Can someone please explain to me why we don't severe the dependency between employers and health insurance?""

How much does insurance through an employer cost?

I just got a job offer and was told that health insurance will cost $210 a month. That sounds really steep to me, is that normal?""

Does anyone know the average cost for motorcycle insurance in New York City?

Not for a new street-bike, but for an older bike, like a triumph""

What kind of car insurance do i need?

hello there,i'm a plumber,i have 7 year no cliam on my vans insurance,till now coz i was goin every where with my van i didn't needed a car,now with new baby we won't be able to go every where with my van so i had to buy a new car,because i won't have any no claim on my car the insurance is sky high....i'm sure i'm missing something in here,i can't drive my van and my car at the same time so why i can't use my no claim on my car too,surely i'm the driver didn't have the accident on these7 years not the cars so why my insurance got to be so high....any idea what can i do about it? thank you so much for your time...take care and all the best""

""Cheapest Place to Get Auto Insurance, Wilmington, NC?

I am a first time driver. I need help finding a cheap auto insurance company to help me out

How do i get insurance?

ok i saw one i like what should i do next ? should i call them ? and i want to pay monthly, and how soon do you think my insurance can be started? and can i start today?""

Affordable studio apartments?

I lived in a great 1 bedroom apartment with my fiance a few years ago in Myrtle Beach for only $550 per month. It was very clean, very quiet, very safe and within walking distance from the ocean. We're looking for a studio basically anywhere in the United States but they're all running for around $600 as far as I can tell, which is ridiculous for something so much smaller than a 1 bedroom. Is there anywhere that has a studio apartment (kitchen, bathroom) which is not an efficiency, which is in a nice location? I'm looking for under $500 per month, I don't want to live in the ghetto. Any ideas?""

Where can I get E&O insurance at a reasonable price?

I am an insurance agent working through an agency. I need E&O insurance before I can sell certain policies. I'm looking for easy, affordable coverage.""

I have full coverage insurance n my car was stolen n impounded should yhe insurance pay inpound fees?

I have full coverage insurance n my car was stolen n impounded should yhe insurance pay inpound fees?

Will I be able to buy car insurance?Thanks?

Im 19 and I was on my dads Metropolitan insurance company. I had 2004 Honda Civic but my dad had the car title in his name. I crashed my car and I was at fault so now we're waiting for the case to settle. My dad wants to wait for the case to settle before I buy another car. The case might take another year or more before its settled. I would like to buy my own insurance and my own car. How will the insurance work out or whats the cheapest insurance? Thanks

Which state does someone have to live in for cheap car insurance?

Which state does someone have to live in for cheap car insurance?

Did you know that Geico could save you 15% or more on car insurance?

Did you know that Geico could save you 15% or more on car insurance?

Negotiating a car insurance claim?

Long story short, consensus feel that my car (hit by an uninsured Crown Victoria) is going to be considered a total loss tomorrow when the adjuster checks it out. My main concern is, if I feel I am offered an unfair amount for my car, what would be a good way to negotiate with them? And what do they use to base their offer on? I've already checked Autotrader and other sites for a replacement for my car, and this model is very sparse (5 total within 500 miles, only searching by year and model/trim), only being sold by dealerships that want a LOT more than I paid for the car a year ago. Can I cite those examples, or do I have to use something like KBB or NADA appraisals? I've never had to make a claim with an insurance company before, and the only thing I know is the reputation of insurance companies.""

What good is affordable health care when more...?

people are out of work then there are people without health insurance?

Is atheism a good substitute for affordable health insurance?

I know that many atheists in here pride yourselves on being far more logical and better prepared for the real world than religious people, and than Christians in particular. Does your lack of belief in God give you a special advantage in coping with medical emergencies and the financial expenses of medical emergencies, I wonder? Why or why not?""

How much does insurance for a motorcycle cost?

I currently don't own a motorcycle but am curious the cost of insuring it. I live in Vermont so I would only be riding it from June to September. I would probably be riding a 2002 Yamaha YZF R6.

Health Insurance and Pre-existing Conditions?

What kinds of pre-existing conditions can give you a problem when getting your own health insurance?

Challenges faced by brokers in handling health insurance?

Hi,i am doing a project on various challenges faces by insurance brokers in handling the health insurance""

Car insurance for a 19 yr old female?

I know you can't really tell me but can anyone give me an estimated guess?I have a 2003 Honda Accord. Here is some information to narrow it down. 1. i live in tennessee' 2. i don't live in the city, but close to one 3.I mainly drive to school and work 4.I've never had a ticket 5.I've never had an accident ( safe driver's insurance intact) 6. I've got good grades/school record. (Not sure if that counts) My guess was over $100 but under $200....is this a safe bet or am i way off?""

""How much do i have to pay to cancel my auto insurance, if the vehicle is parked?""

My vehicle is currently parked and has parking insurance, this vehicle has been parked for over a week now, but i currently found some cheaper insurance and i would like to cancel my insurance, how much will it cost me to cancel it.""

Cheapest Way for an international student to Drive a car in the UK with an international License?

I will be staying in the UK for 1 year and need a car cuz I will be driving around 50 miles a day. I looked to buy a cheap car but the insurance is around 6000 to 8000 a year cuz i am young and driving with an international license. The cheapest thing I found was renting a car for 13-14  a day. Is there anyway I can drive cheaper in the UK? If renting is the only choice, what is the cheapest renting diesel car can I get in Birmingham?""

What other types of insurance should I get?

So far I'm going to get family health insurance, life insurance, and Car insurance. I'm going to have kids. Anything else I should have? We rarely have natural disasters where I'm from.

Least cost in teen insurance for either buying or leasing a car in NY?

Am i better off leasing a new or used car like a honda accord, toyota corolla or is it cheaper for the insurance to buy an Audi a3""

Is it a legal requirement to have caravan insurance?

Is it a legal requirement to have caravan insurance like it is car insurance? Thanks for your help!

Is it worth getting insurance?

Is it worth getting insurance on my KTM Duke 125? I'm 16 years old and just a beginner and I don't know whether I should get the insurance. The only thing I'm scared of is that someone will steal my bike. I live in Europe.

How can I sort out this car insurance issue in the UK?

I've been living in the UK doing some studies for 3 years. When I came to the UK, I didn't know how to drive a car. Also, I found it difficult to pass the driving test in the UK and afford private driving lessons. Few months ago, I went for a 3-month holiday in my original country, Egypt. There, learning how to drive is much easier and less expensive. Besides, issuing a driving license is not so difficult as the theoretical and practical tests are not so complicated. Therefore, I decided to learn and get a national license. Based on this license, I could issue an international one from Cairo that allowed me to drive in some countries one of which is the UK. However, when I returned to the UK and decided to by car, I found a proper one for 550. I decided to buy it, but I was asked to go online to get a quote from a car insurance company. I spent the whole night trying all the websites that my friends told me about. The shocking fact is that many of them refused to give me a quote because I hold an international license, not a UK one. Even those websites which accepted that requested a huge amount of money (i.e. not less than 1, 200-1, 600) which is much higher than the price of the car itself. I wonder if there's a way to sort this out or if there's any alternative solution that saves money for me. I don't want to go through any further driving tests in the UK. Also, I don't want to provide wrong data (e.g. having a full-UK license). Your suggestions are highly valued (serious answers please as I really feel down!). Thanks so much in advance!""

Can someone explain somethings about Car Insurance to me?

Okay, long story short. Last week I got in a car accident with some friends. My back is messed up and I went to the doctor Monday. He told me that my lower back muscles, tendons, and my lumbar are all swollen and sprained. My parents want my friend's family's insurance to pay for the doctor bills, plus they want to get me something (I think it's called compensation or something, I can't remember) basically, the insurance company will pay me money. I guess my questions are just these: If you were my friend's parents in this situation, would you be mad? Is my family technically suing my friend's family? Does her family find out about this or is it all confiential between me, my parents, and the insurance? We live in Washington state and got in an accident on the Interstate, heading down to Seattle for the afternoon, if it changes anything""

""Affordable, good health insurance in Georgia?

I buy my own health insurance. Currently I am being ripped off by Blue Cross Blue Shield! They suck and they are very expensive. Anyone know a better health insurance that is not too expensive? I am a 27 year old female that makes $300 a week (just got laid off to part-time)

Sites of the insurance quotes reliable?

http://www.education-house.com/insurance/index.html

Insurance on a Ninja 250r? (2008- and newer)?

I would just like to know what people pay on this model (2008-and newer). Location and what your monthly or yearly cost is would be most helpful.

Why do I have to pay to insure other people's children?

I have little compassion for those that say they cannot afford to insure their children. #1 - don't have children if you can't afford them; then don't expect me to pay for the ones you can't afford. #2 - it doesn't cost that much to insure a child; part of a parents responsibility is to sacrafice for the sake of their children. Case in point - I have an acquaintance whose parents both worked and they made just above the cut-off for getting government help for insurance. What did they do? They went out and bought 2 brand new motorcycles, helmets, chaps, gloves and boots, so they could take their little darling on wonderful family outings. That money would have went a long way to insuring them, huh? Am I unreasonable?""

Where can i get low cost motorcycle insurance ?

i live in ontario canada ,, i want to buy a honda cbr 250 , and would like to find a low cost insurance for my bike , so far i got some way off price quote with a difference of $280.00 ,so i suspect they are over charging ,even at the low end , they say i'm covered for 12 months months but a motorcycle is not meant to ride in cold and snow and salty streets as the salt would ruin the chain and other parts of the motorcycle .""

How much does renter's insurance cost?

How much does renter's insurance cost?

Cheap auto insurance?

im 17 years old driving a 2004 pontiac grand prix. im trying to find cheap auto insurance for sacramento california. is there any deals better than 69 dollars? i have 0 credit score, no job,sleeps in my own parking lot, i only drive it to school which is 3 miles 5 times a day, and clean history. full time student holding a 3.5 to a 3.75 gpa. i also live with my parents(they have gieco and im on it temprararly until i find something cheaper) they both ahve clean records and passed high school. my mom has an associates degree. they both work and crdit scores are well over 700. please respond soon.""

Need good car insurance in new jer sey -?

i recenlty moved form california to new jersey. i was holding my car insurance with 21 st century ,that was earlier called AIG . i needed a better insurance in new jersey with reasonable rates. i see the rats are pretty high in nj , from what i looked at,.please adivse some better car insurances companies""

Insurance box keeping car at different address?

i'm thinkg of getting insuranca box installed to reduce the cost of the premium, but i keep my car at different address, would they know that?""

Looking for health Insurance?

I'm looking for affordable health insurance with good coverage and options for doctors. A PPO is okay but I'm looking for quality AND affordability. Dental and vision would be a great plus. Can anybody out there help me!?! http:// pilih .cn /health-insurance.html

How much was insurance when you got your first car (UK)?

I know that it is extremely high just after you pass and insurance depends on other things like job and where you live, cos I want to get a car but I have been quoted over 1000 and that's with my parents added as well.""

What is the Average cost for health insurance for newlyweds?

Me and my GF are going to be getting married soon we are both 18 and have a house we are renting with steady jobs. What would our monthly average be for Health insurance?

Can you get life insurance if your already sick?

I have life insurance, and my children have the gerber grow up plan, but my husband doesn't have any and now he's sick. He's 21 - in case his age matters - he was tested for lymphoblastic leukemia last night - but no results yet. Probably because it's Saturday. If he ends up having this, can he still be approved by life insurance?""

Should I file a claim with my car insurance or pay out of pocket?

I am making payments on my car and currently have full coverage car insurance. About a week ago, I was driving my car on the freeway. It had been raining earlier that morning. A car beside me switched lanes in front of me suddenly. (She did not hit my car) but she caused me to loose control, my car hydroplaned spun out and hit the center divder on the freeway. No other cars hit me. My car has damage to the tire, rim and the right rear of my car from the back door to the bumper has scrathes and damage. I did not file a claim at first because the cost of my insurance is already $108 (because of a ticket) and I did not want it tod go up. But after paying to replace the tire, the rim and some other issues with the axile for $606....and the tow service which was $125; I'd like to know if any one has an idea of which would be more beneficial. Should I pay the $1000 deductible and have my car fixed through the insurance company, even though my monthly payments will increase? Or should I just continue the repairs out of pocket?""

Need affordable heath insurance in NJ?

I'm trying to find a health insurance plan for me and my fiance. I currently do not have health insurance but I am on Birth Control for cyst prevention and it runs 90$ a month. My fiance will be expunged from his parent's plan in October when we are married. I am a nanny and he is a personal trainer and tennis instructor, both jobs do not offer plans since he is not considered fulltime. I went to ehealthinsurance.com for a quote and the lowest is 375 with a steep deductible and limited coverage. We are also both fulltime college students so we are not able to pay much along with our other living expenses. Does anyone know of anyway of getting low cost insurance? I looked into family care etc, but unless I'm pregnant or have children, I wont be covered. I'm at a catch 22....we really want kids but not without being stable first...so either I pay for birth control or health insurance for prenatal and maternity (ha ha ha) I'm getting a bit frustrated here...Will definitely chose a best answer and thanks for reading this :)""

Teen Car Insurance + Accidents Clarification?

I'm a 16 year old girl who just got her license in March. A week after I got my license, I rear ended another car while driving my mom's new car that is insured. We got it fixed and only had to pay the 500 dollar deductible. I do not have my own car. My sister, who is 19, has her own car that is not covered on our insurance. My dad's car is not covered either. My sister just got into an accident, rear ending someone as well. I really need to get a car next year for work and such but my parents said my insurance would be high enough already with both of me and my sister's accidents. Couldn't I just buy a car on my own and not insure it like my dad and sister's cars? I really don't know how car insurance works at all, i only know what my parents tell me, so any help would be appreciated :)""

Should I be able to get disability?

Here is my story, I was working and slipped and fell on my side (I did file a accident report). At first I felt fine just a numbness in my side and thinking it would go away, but as the months went by the numbness went away to only be replaced by a pain. I took pain medications to ease it and it helped relieve the pain but now it hardly does anything, if anything at all. I am like 6'4 and before the accident I weighed around 230, now I am climbing to 320??? Oh, I am 25. Oh, and I have been fighting my insurance for 5 years. I cannot exercise to lose weight because the pain in my side prevents me to do daily activities for long or if any at all. I have grown severely depressed as in that I have gained all this weight and feel disgusted with the way I look like and try to avoid any human contact or be seen because I feel disgusting with the way I look. I hope I have said all I needed to do. I just feel I cannot function as a normal person in society anymore. And times if there is no hope for me, I feel as if maybe the best solution for me is to commit suicide because I just feel so much like a freak to the world now.""

Will McCains proposal to eliminate the tax deduction for health insurance ?

be the straw the breaks the backs of middle class Americans? Affordable health care is one of the foremost issues for middle class Americans. John McCain wants to eliminate the tax break given for the cost of insurance this will basically amount to a 25% increase in insurance costs for most of the middle class who are already struggling Yet he wants to continue the tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. He truly is out of touch when it comes to the common man.

Why are my car insurance quotes so high (first car UK)?

OK, I passed my test last week so I've started looking at what cars to buy, and which ones have the cheapest insurance. I've tested lots of different comparison sites to get insurance quotes and most of them are around 4,000! To me that's strangely high for cars that are less than 1,000... The cars that I've had quotes for are Vauxhall Corsa's and Ford Fiestas, both 1.2L. A friend of mine insured a Golf 1.6 for 900 which was his first car, so I really don't get why my quotes are so different, especially as I'm looking at much cheaper cars. I've also tried using the sites that offer a telematics box which is meant to be considerably cheaper but it's still around the 4,000 mark for some reason. Is there any way I can get it cheaper without going onto my parents insurance?""

Motorcycle insurance question?

I recently had an accident on my 2003 Harley Davidson. It is essentially totaled. How much on average will my insurance cover. I have relatively good insurance. Just wondering what you thought.

What other types of insurance should I get?

So far I'm going to get family health insurance, life insurance, and Car insurance. I'm going to have kids. Anything else I should have? We rarely have natural disasters where I'm from.

Non owners insurance?

what is the best non-owners insurance business (or agency) in Houston?

DUI for minors and the effects on car insurance?

What is the effect on car insurance premiums of a first, second and third offense for a minor who drives under the influence of alcohol.""

Where to get pregnancy insurance?

Please can someone tell me where to get pregnancy insurance? I am a UK citizen and will be spending the whole of 2010 in America (Boston). Thanks

Can i use my car insurance to drive my dads car?

i got fully comp insurance on my car, does my insurance cover me to drive my dads car?""

Health insurance after you've turned 18?

My mother receives Social Security checks and insurance (She had cancer, and can't work due to other conditions brought on by the chemotherapy) and because of this, I had medicaid. I turned 18 last month and I'm wondering if I automatically get cut off from her insurance, or if I stay on the plan because I'll be a student in the fall. I know the system for this changed recently, so I have no idea if I still have insurance or not.""

How much does minimum cover motorcycle insurance cost monthly in California if your 19 years of age?

How much does minimum cover motorcycle insurance cost monthly in California if your 19 years of age?

Help with health insurance terminology?

In layman's terms, what is: 1) a deductible and 2) an insurance premium? And how do they work in health insurance? An example would be appreciated.""

Home Ownwers insurance? Who is cheap?

What company that may not be well known can provide cheap home owners insurance? A link would be appreciated. This will be for the purchase of a existing home buy, which may close this week. Thanks in advance to all responders!""

Has anyone ever had short term car insurance ?

how much is it ? i work alot in the summer so i only need a car for a month please help am new to this.

How much would a 2010 mustang cost to insure under your parents insurance and if you are the primary driver?

My dad is going to finance it so we will split up the pay I woyld pay for the car monthly which I can afford and my dad pays insurance monthly

Lapse in health insurance?

My husband is about to have a lapse in health insurance, for about 4 months? Reasons being, because I am pregnant, and no insurance company will cover an expectant father. We will be getting him covered once the baby comes. What are the reprecussions for having a lapse in health insurance? He has no pre-existing conditions and is very healthy.""

What is the average cost of health insurance for an infant/family plan?

What is the average cost of health insurance for an infant/family plan?

My auto insurance cancelling my auto insurance...Help?

My husband caused a hit and run accident last year. After a half year later, my insurance send me a letter that they will cancel my auto insurance. I don't know what to do... Please help.""

How much would insurance cost for a Toyota Celica GT?

I am getting my license soon and I was looking at a Toyota Celica GT (most likely a 2001 or 2000) I am in high school and I am a girl. I heard that guys get higher costs is that true? thanks!

How much would the insurance be on a 1993 Acura legend coupe with a type II engine and skyline gtr body kit?

I have a link that shows pictures of the car so please give me your thoughts about what you think of the car itself and how high or low the insurance may be. Here's the link. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/562419/2

Liability insurance if car catches fire?

my car got caught on fire i think the firefighter says it say electric wiring i only have liability insurance is my insurance will cover that my car is total now ,thanks so much""

""Female 19 year-old-, non-owner, occasional driver, Florida. Insurance premium increase?""

Okay, here are the details: My sister (who is 5 years older than me) got her first car 6 years ago at the age of 18. She didn't get her license until AFTER she bought the car. It was a '94 Blazer SUV. My parents' insurance went up about $800/year when she and the car were added. Then, she got married in 2002 and was removed from my parents' policy. Not much has changed since then; they are still paying pretty much the same premiums. So, since I also decided to wait until I was at least 18 to get my license due to the increase of insurance premiums, last fall I started inquiring with my parents' agent about how much it would be for me to be added. I turned 19 in December 2007, and was quite sure it would be less for me to be added considering I am a year older than my sister was when she got her license, and I do not own a car of my own. (Continued below...)""

""Boyfriend totaled my car, i have a $500 collision deductable on my insurance?""

my boyfriend totalled my 17,000 car. the car was totally paid off and i have $500 deductable for collisions on my insurance,. he has liability on his insurance. does anyone knnow what will happen from here, since he was driving i dont know for sure what insurance covers and what i will have to pay""

Affordable Dental Insurance in NY?

I live in Queens NY and I have no dental insurance. My mother works but she doesn't make a good amount and my father is unemployed. She has medical insurance, Aetna, but it doesn't cover dental and I need to have 1 stupid root canal done and it will cost 2000 w/o insurance. Anybody, I need help. I am also a student in college, so any help, I really need it.""

Pregnant with no insurance?

I recently moved and I no longer have health insurance. I am 33 weeks pregnant. I do not qualify for Medicaid. are there any other inexpensive options? I am currently working part time but I won't be working for much longer.

How much does it cost for postal insurance?

How much will it cost me to get $5000 usps insurance for my package? Im in the usa tx.

Can i get some help in writing my job application to an Insurance Comapny?

Recently I have developed a special interest in banking and if I am given the opportunity I am prepared to work diligently to serve the nation . ...this is what im writing in my application but i want a word to replace banking , since its an insurance company what should i put instead of banking ?""

What Texas insurance company covers composition over wood shake shingles?

Hi everyone I'm selling a house and want to be prepared to answer questions about insuring a roof with composition shingles over wood shakes (or wood shingles). I have a major carrier, but I've heard there are insurance companies that refuse to insure these roofs these days. I'd like to know for sure what insurance companies I can say cover these roofs. I am in Dallas, Texas, so it should be a company that is in Texas. Thanks so much for your help!""

Which cars are the cheapest insurance wise? (england)?

I wanna get a car as soon as i'm 18, so i obviously want something which will have cheap insurance. Nothing embarrasing mind.""

Is there dental insurance with the Affordable Health Care Act?

Is there dental insurance with the Affordable Health Care Act?

What other types of insurance should I get?

So far I'm going to get family health insurance, life insurance, and Car insurance. I'm going to have kids. Anything else I should have? We rarely have natural disasters where I'm from.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/need-cheap-no-name-insurance-companies-motorcycle-rosetta-mcclure"

[colorfulsuitdestiny-blog]

National insurance Number?

"National insurance Number?

is it possible to get a job without requiring National insurance Number?

BEST ANSWER:  Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://freeautoinsurance.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr 

RELATED QUESTIONS: 

Why the difference in Insurance availability between developing countries vs. industrialized nations?

Why has insurance traditionally been more common in industrialized nations, and why is it uncommon/not possible for people in developing worlds to have insurance? At first I thought it was simply because insurance is not affordable by people in developing countries, but maybe there are other reasons?""

How much is short term car insurance for under 21's (approx price)?

I want insurance on a vehicle for no more than 1/2 weeks. I've been on some websites, but lots don't offer under 21 insurance and others require registration and form filling, which I don't want to do until nearer the actual time. Has anyone on here had experience with insuring a car, short term, at a young age?""

""17 year old learner, got my own car - Do I just need learner insurance for now?

I'm a learner driver with my test next month and I now have my own car. I want to practice in my own car up until my test and I'm not sure whether I just need learner insurance or if the car itself needs to be insured as well? Learner insurance is around 80 for the month and for 'proper' insurance then it's around 2000. Any help?

What is a good Car insurance company comparison site?

What is a good Car insurance company comparison site?

""Whats the cost to own a brand new BMW 3 series in CA, US (with Tax, insurance etc.)?""

Whats the cost to own a brand new BMW 3 series in CA, USA (including, Taxes, Insurance, and other hidden costs if any)?""

Where can I get affordable health insurance for my family?

USA 2013, it's now illegal, NOT to have medical insurance for everyone in your family. I get insurance for myself through work, which is mostly paid for by them, except my high deductible and co-pays, which I can barley afford. My wife and kids will cost me over $800.00 per month to insure through my employer. Can't afford that, it's almost as much as my rent. Half the insurance companies I've applied for say I make too much, the other half tell me I don't make enough. What I'm I supposed to do, eat or have insurance? If I just don't buy any, I'll be penalized through taxes at the end of the year. So, does anyone know of any good health insurance companies out there? Thanks.""

Does your car insurance on old car cover your new car for 30 days?

i just got a new car. i traded it for a new one. i live in illinois and i am insured with geico. On my way home that night i got the car i got pulled over and got a ticket for not having insurance on that vehicle.i tried telling the cop my situation but that still didn't matter to him. So he gave me a $500 ticket. i was told when you get a new car your old insurance will cover you for 30 days. i called Geico numerous of times and they wont help me. Is there anyway to get out of this ticket? is there an illinois law that states something about this?

How much would my insurance be?

i wanna buy a camaro or a mustang convertible and i am 17 and a guy how much u think my insurance would be?the year of the car is around 1994-2002...how much for a ford explorer (same years)or a mitsubishi eclipse?

Whats the estimated cost of car insurance for an 18 year old?

Whats the estimated cost of car insurance for an 18 year old?

""Car Insurance, age limit on Family Plan?""

Okay my parents have their cars plus my younger brother on their home/auto insurance policy. My car is also included but I am wondering, is this okay or a problem since I am 25 yrs old and no longer living with them? I could get auto on my own but it is way more expensive compared to my 'share' with my parents policy. Is there a law or rule? What if I was living with them? I am in CA""

How much would my insurance rate differ?

I am 16. I currently drive a 1996 Subaru Impreza. How big would the change be if I switched to being insured on a 2000 VW Passat? Is that even how insurance works? Or am I insured on all vehicles in the household.

What is the best resource for getting short term car insurance?

I am looking for a short term car insurance in UK, can someone please recommend some affordable and reliable companies?""

How much is a spouse's auto insurance in MA?

How much increase is a spouse's auto insurance compared to just an individual's insurance if we drive the same car in MA, with full coverage and that he's a casual driver?""

Does State Farm Insurance go up after ONE speeding ticket?

I'm almost 18 years old, and I'm on my dads insurance policy. They've been customers with state farm for almost 15 years. I got a speeding ticket a few months ago, but ...show more""

Anyone know any sites I can go to to get life insurance and car insurance quotes? I don't want to give my?

phone number to any company because they hound you forever, I just don't need all the phone calls and presser.""

Why should someone who is say 40 get cheaper car insurance than a 17 year old?

If for instance they passed on the same day, why should a 17 year be categorised as less responsible than a 40 year old in terms of driving ability? Particularly when chances are due to the insurance gaps and most probably the earnings of these two hypothetical people the 40 year old would be able to afford a more powerful car...""

""In the state of Texas,Do you have to have auto insurance?""

If you are in a car wreck which the other person is at fault,Can you still file a cliam on their insurance company and have phisical therapy paid and can paid for the damage for the car and get paid for pain and suffering? Even if the insurance was off for less than 24 hours""

Can we also get free car insurance? Obamacare?

we are very poor,,, and quality for free health care with this new plan that tax payers are so nice to pay for,,, can tax payers also pay for my car insurance?""

Price of car insurance 18 years old?

The cheapest quote for car insurance I have had is 5000 for a 1.0L Toyota Yaris, TPFT, kept in a garage overnight, the car is only worth 1000. Am I doing something wrong?? 5000 is just rediculous, Im not even going to bother with lessons yet. What is/was your insurance cost for this age?""

Will my impounded car show up on my insurance?

My car got impounded last night, does that show up or increase my car insurance?""

Can an insurance company raise your rates even though you've completed 12 hour traffic school?

I understand that a 2nd violation within 18 months appears on your public record. I was told that even though after taking 12 hour traffic school and my violation appearing as a dismissal....insurance companies can still legally raise my rates. Then I see people refer to a CA law that states that even if a violation appears on a public record, if there is a dismissal insurance companies cannot legally raise your rates.""

How will the insurances work out with 95 car accidents at one scene?

Just wonder because of news yesterday at California highway. I don't know about law in that state but what if it's like this in new york where I live. Ya know whoever fault will pay by their own insurance for repairs and injury for victims and a vehciles. Same for most state. How would 95 different insurance handle it? It might will have several lawsuits. With 95 cars, hard to say who started the accident and whatever if it's one person cause 95 altogther or all 95 is fault on it own. Some may not even have insurance. There would be 95 different drivers so it will be 95 different verison or story of what happening. The court with lawyers and several case line up, it can last 100 years before it all done.""

Do you absolutely haft to have motorcycle insurance in Minnesota?

Just cashed out and got a really cheap bike for 500$ Do I really need motorcycle insurance?

When do i get insurance money from my accident?

ok so.. my friend was driving we were at a stop light and all of a sudden we got hit from behind.... hard!! i had to go to the doctor that day then a week later and now im in physical therapy. my neck and shoulder and my whole upper back hurt... there was no reason for her to hit us it was a red light... what should i do?? how much can i get?? P.S. it totaled the car i was in..

Full coverage Auto Insurance? ?

Is comprehensive and collision all you need to have full coverage ? I pay 250 a month for my car's insurance and decided to look around . I came across a progressive quote after I put down all my information , and it asked if I wanted to pay already. It came out to be 70 a month . It has a collision and comprehensive coverage included along with roadside assistance and a few other things on the side . Should I just get progressive or do you think there may be something they're not telling me ? I just don't want to get it , and it turns out my cars not as covered as my current insurance . 250 a month just seems like a waste for a car that's not even my daily driver .""

National insurance Number?

is it possible to get a job without requiring National insurance Number?

Auto Insurance in 2 States?

Folks I am dealing with an issue that involves 3 cars 3 drivers ( my wife, my son and I) and 2 different states (my son away at college) the insurance companies are thiefs trying to stick it to me. Even though my son is at college more than 1250 miles away from home the insurance company still charge me for him, I bough him a car and since he is in another state my insurance premium is almost triple. Any ideas? remember 3 cars 3 drivers and 2 states my son at college with a new car. Will it be cheaper if he gets his own insurance? Help is needed and much appreciated""

What is the estimated cost of a pool monthly in California including insurance?

What is the estimated cost of a pool monthly in California including insurance?

Cost to insure a Bentley?

For a school project, we have to estimate the price of insurance for a speicific car. How much would it cost to insure a 2012 Bentley Continental GT? (approx.) I can't call my insurance company, I'm 14. Thanks!""

What is a good health insurance plan for two snowbirds that travel between NY and FL?

Hello. I am 67 and my wife is 61. We are going to begin living between New York and Florida now, half of the year in Florida and half in New York. What kind of health insurance is popular for our situation? What is the most affordable plan? We want to be insured throughout the entire year in both FL and NY. I am 67 and my wife is 61. Thank you.""

""Does the Pass Plus, bring your car insurance down, if so how much?""

my daughter has just passed her driving test and is now looking to buy her 1st car, so will the pass plus bring the insurance down""

I'm 18 can my 18 year old friend take me to my driving test?

I just turned 18 and I'm about to take my driving test. Can my friend take me who is 18 and has her CA driver's license already? Also, if I'm borrowing her car, does my name need to be on the insurance? I live in southern California Thank you""

Classic cars have to go through emissions in Pennsylvania?

I have a 1967 Chevy bel air that has straight glass pack exhaust and I dont think it will pass emissions and i just moved to pa but before I get the license plate transferred I want to know if classic or older cars if you will have to go through emissions????

What is a fairly average car insurance rate when a you add a new driver in the family?

A family member is getting ready to get their license, and I wanted to know if car insurance rates would go up, and what a likely rate would be.""

Where can i find cheap car insurance on a honda civic type r?

im 23 and these will be my first car im driving...i will put my dad name as the main driver his 53..jus need 2find really cheap car insurance

What is going on car insurance ?

i had a crash over a year ago, my car insurance took it to court last week due to the other party not having any evidence or produce thier side of events etc. the Judge told them they had a week to comply and they should settle 80-20 in my favour but they still are playing hard ball by saying they think i know my witness, so they should have it 80-20 in their favour , of which i dont. so why are they still not showing their side of the crash etc, and dragging this out. also is this legal?""

Is there insurance for replica cars(EX. Replica Lamborghini Countach).?

Is there insurance for replica cars(EX. Replica Lamborghini Countach). OR Do you just say to the insurance company the donor car used to build the Replica(EX Pontiac Feiro)($3-5K) So they cover only the car used and just treat the replica kit as just additon stuff(EX like adding more exspensive RIMS to a VW). Is the replica insurance cheaper then a real cars insurance. EX Replica Lamborghini Countach($25K)(V6 Engine, Pontiac Fiero) VS. REAL 1988 Porsche 911 ($25k)(V6 Porsche Engine) Do 21st auto Insuracne company have Replica Car insurance and/or will they cover just the donor car used to build the Replica.""

Can someone with a DWI that is 5 years old get non-owners insurance and legally drive someone's car?

Or better yet, if they get their own insurance in the state of NC male, 28, employeed part time get a insurance that is not at a high rate even with the DWI?""

How long should I get a term life insurance policy for?

I'm researching term policies to cover the shortfall for life insurance from my work. How long is reasonable to get a term policy for? Term to 60, 75 or 100 years?""

Job suggestions for a nearly 16 year old with a national insurance card?

I'm a 15 year old girl with no money:( I NEED DOLLAR! Any suggestions? I'll do anything, maybe not give up my saturday's if helped? But if i have to then okay.. I'm desperate! And please, no stupid comments suggesting prostitution, i'm serious, just a decent job please guys? Thankyou.""

Does your driving test score affect your insurance rates?

Some people are telling me that the higher the score you get on your driving test, the lower your insurance will be. For example, if you score 80 points compared to someone how scores 100 (full points), the person with 100 points will have lower insurance costs. I just wanted to know if this is true or not, and if it is true how much does 1 point affect your insurance?""

I am looking for an eye docter that takes any insurance in los angeles california?

for kids that will give contacts

How much extra would it be to go on my parents car insurance ?

at the moment my mother is paying 600 a year for car insurance, i was wondering how much extra it would be a year for me to go on her insurance. i am 18 year old girl living in england would it be cheaper for me to get my own insurance or go on hers ?""

Am losing health insurance...?

What are some non employer options? Live in Kansas and am clueless what to do to get insurance. Have 2 kids.... Do they qualify for free insurance? Make too much money to get assistance but not enough to pay for it. Please help. Married and neither of us has affordable employer insurance!

Insurance (probability)?

An auto insurance company has 10,000 policy holders. Each policy holder is classified as.. - young or old - male or female - married or single Of these policyholders, 30000 are young, 4600 are male, and 7000 are married. the policyholders can also be classified as 1320 young males, 3010 married males, and 1400 young married persons. Finally, 600 of the policyholders are young married males. How many of the company's policyholders are young, female, and single?""

Im 17 and this will be my 1st year driving & i will be on my parents insurance how much will it cost me a mon.?

i live in charlotte

What is the cheapest car insurance in california?

My parents won't even consider getting me insurance because they think it's too expensive. I'm a girl, 16, gonna be 17 in October, and have above 3.0 GPA My car is a 1996 (i think?) toyota camry.""

Commercial car insurance no claims?

I have 9 yrs no claims bonus on a commercial insurance policy in my name with my missus as name driver. I am selling the van and will want to buy a 4x4 and insure on a private policy, None of the insurance companies that I have had quotes from will honor the no claims bonus and all say that I have to start again from zero I also have been the name driver on the missus's car policy for 10 yrs with no claims either. Can anyone tell me if this is Right or yet again am I being unfairly screwed? Cheers all.""

Under Obamacare if you have stage 4 cancer and go to sign up for health insurance how affordable will your?

rates be? Is there anything in Obamacare that's going to stop the insurance company from charging you an arm & a leg?

""How much would insurance cost for a 23 year old with a $1,500 car in florida?""

Assuming the car is fully paid for, how much would insurance cost on a rather cheap ($1,500) car in Florida for a 23 year old with a spotless record. If an exact amount is too hard to find, a ballpark estimate would help.""

How to get Public Liability Insurance?

Hi, so my friends and I are having a party in a month and we're considering holding it at a local school hall. I called the person in charge of organizing the hall hire and they said that I need public liability insurance to hire it out for the night. How do I go about getting the insurance and roughly how much will it cost? We wanted to hire the room for about four hours and use it to accommodate about 15 people. Simple answers would be best since I don't know all the fancy words describing finances and Insurance. Thank you!""

National insurance Number?

is it possible to get a job without requiring National insurance Number?

Auto insurance quotes?

What website you recommend to get instant multiple quotes for multiple cars, without agent or a representative involvement?""

Insurance coverage for stolen car?

Car was stolen, then recovered, with some damage. I have comprehensive. Insurance company is sure to cover body work. Will they also check and/or compensate me for less obvious damage (i.e. the wear and tear to the car incurred from being drag-raced for several hours)? Will they compensate me for items of value stolen out of the car? How does that work?""

My car under my parents insurance?

Ok i have a hypothetical question...Say if my car is in my name, and i am under my parents insurance...And i get in a major accident are they liable? Are they at more risk if i am in their name but i own the car?""

Drink driving insurance?

I was convicted of drink driving last year. Just got my driving licence back. Does anybody know where I can get cheap car insurance, theres loads of companies that say they specialise in convicted driver insurance but some of the prices I have been quoted have been astronomical. 1000+, Ive tried all the comparison sites, is there any companies out there that specialise in providing insurance for convicted drink drivers?""

How much would it cost for me to get put on my parents insurance?

I'm 18 and looking to get my licence soon. My mom, her boyfriend, and his daughter are all on the same insurance. They have Nationwide. But I don't have a car yet, so I'd be driving my mom & stepdads car. ABOUT how much do you think it would cost?""

Question about car insurance.?

I just got my drivers permit, and i don't have a car of my own, my finance has been teaching me to drive in his car, and said once i get my license his parents will let me drive one of there old cars. I don't really know how car insurance works.. my finance is still on his family's insurance, since they get a discount for multiply cars (they have 5). My question is, would there insurance cover me driving there car? or would i have to get my own plan? and can i get a plan on a car i don't own?""

Where can i get the cheapest insurance on a performance car at 17?

hi i am 16 and will be 17 soon i've got an Rs1600i all ready i've checked before on comparethemeerkat.com ans the best i got was 5 grand lol i really dont wanna pay that much and im not willing to have any other car cos im a fussy B******

How much for car insurance?

Ill be getting my permit in a year and drivers license in 2. Im from Minnesota and i was wondering how much car insurance would be? I already have a car, its a 2006 Sebring Chrysler. Sooo any ideas?""

Cars to avoid for low insurance?

Im looking to buy my first car, I dont have any driving history and my licence is still provisional. Someone told me that certain cars, like 2 doors, make your insurance higher. Is this true? If so, what other car characteristics should I avoid?""

What are the cheapest cars to insure as a 17 year old male that wants to buy a car in a budget of 1500 pounds?

i know insurance insurance is sky high but which cars can i get with a maximum budget of 1500 pounds that are good reliable cars and have a good name like VW etc i wluld prefer not to have a vauxhall renault pegeout etc and ford is last resort only

Live in FL need to know were to get low car insurance rate for my daughters 2001 saturn sl1?

She is going to need comp and collision because she owes on the car she is 22 and has 1 speeding ticket cost per month now is approx 170.00 any help would be great she has progressive now

Car Insurance Question!! Please Help!!?

Im 16 years old, have a car, and am about to insure it. My parents said that I could add my car to their insurance plan, and it would be cheap, but I would have to be more careful about driving and not get sued because of an accident. How much would adding me to their auto insurance plan be? (I have a 1996 Ford Explorer, if that helps!) Thanks!""

Average cost Motorcycle Insurance?

Hello, Does anyone know the average cost for motorcycle insurance in Arizona?""

Should I get student health insurance or health insurance through my job?

I'm a fulltime student and I also have a fulltime job. Which would benefit me the most? Health insurance for students or health insurance that my job offers? Also, If I take 1 semester off from school would I still be eligible for student health insurance?""

Car Insurance Question- KY?

What are the rules with car insurance? I know if you are under the age of 25 the price is ridiculous. So obvioulsly you get the insurance under someone (your parents, other family, etc). Now to get insurance, does the car title have to be in that same persons name who is getting the insurance? Anyone know how to get cheaper insurance? Just wondering if anyone has any advice...""

I was at-fault in a car accident. How much will it cost to repair? Should I report to insurance?

Here are the details of what happened: - I hit an illegally parked car, popping the side mirror out of it's place and scratching it slightly on the side. - My car's tire blew and the axle is completely f**ked up. It looks like my car is doing a turn-out in ballet. I also have to fix the bumper which popped out of place and the mirror popped out of place. How much will it cost if I take it to the Volvo dealership? - My car is a black 2006 Volvo V50 stationwagon. - Should I report this to insurance? How much will my insurance increase if I have AAA and this is my first accident on record?""

Car insurance rough estimate?

55 years old, recent drink driving conviction, Mazda sports car worth < 2K.""

Insurance companies?

Which company is better out of Elephant and Admiral for car insurance. They have both given the same quote but I don't know anything about the customer services or anything

How much would the insurance for the 16 year old with a 07 impala?

I am 16 years old and have been working for awhile, i have been working for a new car. i have found this 07 impala that is in GREAT condition. I need a rough estimate of what my insurance might be if I get this car.""

Can I insure a car that is already insured?

I am a new driver and want to insure a car, the problem is that car is already insured by my mom with AAA. I currently don't have the money to use AAA as insurance so I was planning to get some cheap insurance right now. Is that possible? Or what would you recommend?""

How do you switch insurance on your car if you get another one?

1) How much paperwork is involved. I drive a 92 Lebaron that is not too far from dying. I would like to buy a car within the next year and make monthly payments. 2) Is it really just a phonecall with my agent? 3) Do I get to keep my license plate? 4) What happens to my excise tax?--Do I have to inform my town hall of my new vehicle? Do I still get billed for my old car?

""I am self employed and shopping for an affordable health/dental insurance, any ideas?""

I need coverage without spending a fortune every month, no pre-existing conditions.""

What is the average car insurance costs for a 17 year old female?

What is the average car insurance costs for a 17 year old female?

I need some help with insurance please?

Hey. I'm getting my 'Learners Licence' in the year of 2014. I own a 1984 Datsun/Nissan 300zx turbo. 2 seat, rwd. I live in abbotsford British Colombia and I just wanted to know how much insurance would cost per year with drivers ed. How much it will cost with my L, N and full licence. Thanks.""

Where can i get cheap car insurance? (i'm 19)?

Im 19 and own a Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 and im looking for cheap car insurance. ive tried a few websites and its coming out over 5k for the year, something a LOT less will ok, if anyone can tell me a few good companies or quotes that i can use? thanks""

National insurance Number?

is it possible to get a job without requiring National insurance Number?

Best car and insurance for 18 year old?

Hey, just looking for some advice for the cheapest possible way to get a car and insurance (not necessarily together) for less than 4,000 a year? I knows there's schemes like Young Marmalade, but I'd rather know what's going to happen with my insurance after the 1st year, but at the moment they do seem like the best option. Any help appreciated! :-)""

What is life insurance?

Life insurance is suppose to be used as a protection of income. In case you die, your family is protected from devastation of substantial income loss. But, many insurance companies are selling it as an additional source of income or as an investment, which is really is not. Therefore, many families who have life insurance are underinsured because these cash value life insurance are very expensive. If you are using life insurance solely for the purpose of saving up for a goal or emergency, why aren't you investing it in mutual funds or put it into an IRA? If you are afraid of the stock market, then open a money market account. If you are saving up for your kids education, then open a 529 plan. All these alternative ways are better than keeping your money in a life insurance because you never have to pay it back if you use them. As to life insurance, if you use any of the cash value, you will have to pay it back with interest.""

What's a good cheap health insurance for a college student?

My college doesn't offer any health insurance and I don't have much money. What should I do? I need to get my throat checked out.

What would happen if we lowered the cost of health insurance?

I have to write a paper on health care insurance.

I dont get car insurance?

i am looking for my first car . i did a quote on a 2001 1.2 fiat punto 3 doors. The quote was 1600. but i then saw a 5 door punto. a 2000 1.2 5 door punto the quote for that was 1989. and thats from the same company. how can it cost more to insure a 5 door car.

""Percentage wise, how much can car insurance go up after fender bender?""

I am currently with Esurance and I got into a fender bender where the insurance company paid out a little over 1,000 dollars. Around 1,400 dollars. I wish I knew it was going to be that cheap because I could've paid out of pocket but it's too late now. Lesson learned. Does anyone know around percentage wise how much my insurance premium will go up? I've never had an accident before this and I don't have any traffic violations or tickets. The insurance company says they can't tell me anything right now, but I'm looking to get another vehicle and I don't want a surprise come my next renewal. Thanks""

Applying for medical insurance for my son..?

I'm on the COMPASS website and it asks if I have medical insurance through my job and if my child can get it also. If I'm trying to get CHIP for my son as it'll be cheaper then through my work. Should I just not say if I have insurance or should I continue and put yes my child can get insurance through my job?

Where can I find the cheapest insurance for young drivers?

I am looking for the cheapest insurance for young drivers in United Kingdom. I am 18 years old and I am planning to buy a car. I have been looking for an insurance for Golf Mk 4 1.9 TDi which costs up to 3000 but the cheapest insurance I could find was also over 3000 up to 5000. Tell me the cheapest you know, please.""

Need to find Cheap Car Insurance?

I live In Wisconsin does anyone know of cheap insurance or a site where i can see how much its gonna cost me every month or something. Please Help really need insurance

How to get off my parents insurance?

I have insurance through my dad but because of a $5000 deductible and my income it is useless to me. He refuses to let me off it. Also refuses to let me get off of it. I'm 20 years old and could go to the health department nearly free if only I didnt have medical insurance> HOW DO I GET OFF THIS?

Health insurance??..?

I need it. going to pay out-of-pocket. 40 year old non smoking female, healthy. Any tips? Anything I should know? I've never shopped for health insurance, have no idea what I'm doing.""

Car insurance for a 19 year old?

I was wondering how much will car insurance be for a 19 year older. Is it more then $300 ah month And should I go to geico, Allstate or state farm""

If I get a 2012 car would my insurance be high 18 years old?

I plan on getting a car. I found this 2012 Toyota Yaris for 14 grand. I plan on asking for 13 grand. My dad will split the monthly payments and my mom pays the insurance. I think we have Statefarm.. Its a used car still but I like it a lot..

New Car/ New insurance...need it immediately?

I will be buying a car on Sunday. I am under my parent's insurance right now but will be getting my own when I get the new car. Do I need to get the new insurance policy before driving the car off the lot? How can I do this without the VIN number? I live in Florida.

Car accident without insurance?

I hit a parked car with a moving truck. My insurance was evoked at the time of the accident and I got a phone call today from the insurance company of the car I hit saying that the ...mostrar mais

Washington state car insurance law for drivers and cars?

I currently dont have insurance and i was forced to move back to my parents house and theyre badgering me to get car insurance but i cant afford it right now. if they put insurance on my car under their name, can i drive my car legally? or do they have to put my name on their policy also? im trying to find the cheapest way of getting basic legal insurance since my car is not worth more than 1000 dollars""

""Car accident, no insurance?""

I just got into an accident 5 days ago. I still don't believe it was my fault if anything maybe both of ours. Regardless she had minor damage. She was on the phone obviously not paying attention as I was pulling out of the driveway when she was attempting to pull into a drive way across from the one I was pulling out of. So as you can imagine it's hard telling. We both have scratches on our left hand side bumpers but she has a dent that can be fixed. She had her friend with her so it was hard to really even defend myself because it was her word against mine. She called the police, thank God they passed because no one was hurt. They just told her to take down my information and deal with it. She took down my license plate, took pictures, such a drama queen, it honestly wasn't that bad. She has my license number too but when I when I went to call my insurance provider, they said it wasn't renewed. No police report, and she hasn't called me with a quote. How much trouble can I get in??""

Do I need insurance for my license?

I live in North Carolina, and I just got my license a few months ago. I don't have a car yet, but I was told that I needed insurance in order to have a license. So, I'm paying $80 a month for insurance, just for holding a license. My car savings aren't looking too good at this rate, so I was wondering if anyone knew of any cheaper insurance companies I could go with?""

How can I get health insurance?

I live in Chicago, IL. I don't have health health insurance because my mom can't afford it. Im 19 years old and I need health insurance.What does everyone else do who's under 21? Do any of you under 21 have any health insurance? If so, what company? I don't have a job, (been trying to find a job for three years). I need to see a dermatologist really bad, and I have no idea what to do.""

Can a lender file a claim against your insurance company after repossession?

My car was repossessed on 9/11. I attempted to get my car back..but Wells Fargo played games..such as saying the car is on its way to the auction...no, its still there and we can't place a hold on it..it leaves for the auction in a couple of days. So, I went and got me another car. Now, today..I find out that they are filing a claim for the very day that they took the car. The claim was filed at 1:06 today. However, the car was not insured on that very date. Also, I had to sign some papers to reinstate the policy to the effect that no claims would be filed because NO accident occurred. Will the lender be able to file against my insurance policy under these circumstances?""

Not continuously insured? Car insurance?

I sold my car two weeks ago and canceled both the insurance and revoked the registration for the new person. I just bought a new car and tried to get insurance and the company is saying they can't do it because I haven't been continuously insured. How am I supposed to be continuously insured if I didn't own ANY vehicle for two weeks? This makes no sense to me. Now they refuse to give me a quote.

How much is driving insurance a month for a 17 year old new driver?

I just got my license today, im 17 and hae a 2.8 gpa, and am wondering roughly how much my insurance can be? any recommendations? cheapest insurance? I think i can get USAA if that helps? My grandpa is a vet.""

How Much do you pay for your insurance or how much is it for new cars and teens?

How Much do you pay for your insurance or how much is it for new cars and teens?

""Car insurance, is it cheaper to get an old car?""

Im looking into a 1978 cadillac coupe deville as a first car, and im wondering if it goes cheap in car insurance. Cuz it could be cheaper up to a point till its like too old and its just becomes more expensive. And im wondering about all older cars in general. N yes i know what i might get into it is a older car might break down on me more often than usual, ill just deal with it.""

Do most parents pay for their children's car insurance?

Ok, don't rant at me, I'm asking this question innocently. Basically, I want to know if it's common for parents to pay for their children's car insurance (I'm thinking of those 17, 18, 19, etc. who just passed their test and haven't moved out), or if the child is usually made to pay it themselves? I don't know if part time jobs will cover the cost or what (especially as I imagine they will usually pay for their own petrol), but 3000 a year does seem quite a bit for a teenager to be able to afford. And seems like more and more youngsters are getting cars... I don't think I would expect my parents to pay for mine when I pass my test, but then again I don't know how I'd be able to afford it myself either... So I'm looking for some insight on the topic.""

National insurance Number?

is it possible to get a job without requiring National insurance Number?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-my-motorbike-coming-up-wrong-insurance-quotes-merry-alexander"