#do you know how much overdraft your bank account comes with?

[quecksilvereyes]

oh my god do not click links in emails that tell you to verify your data or your bank account gets locked or click links in messages telling you your safety protocol is ending, like, tomorrow, you will get SCAMMED SO BAD AND YOU WILL LOSE A LOT OF FUCKING MONEY never ever let anyone pressure you into giving away login information especially to your online banking by creating a sense of urgency oh my GOD

some things to look out for

1. spelling mistakes. do you know how many rounds of marketing and sales experts these things go through? if theres a spelling mistake dont click it

2. not using your name. if an email adresses you with "dear customer" or, even worse, a generic "ladies and gentlemen", it is most likely not actually targeted to you

3. verifying or login links. even IF your bank was stupid enough to send these to customers, dont EVER click those. look at me. they can legally argue that youve given your data away and thus they dont have to pay you anything back DONT CLICK THAT FUCKING LINK

4. creating a sense of urgency. do this or we lock your account next week. do this or your ebanking stops working tomorrow. give us all your money in cash or your beloved granddaughter will get HANGED FOR MURDERING BABIES. no serious organisation would ever do something like that over email or sms. ever. hands off.

5. ALWAYS CHECK WHO SENT YOU THE EMAIL. the display name and the email adress can vary a LOT. anyone can check the display name. look at the email adress. does it look weird? call the fucking place it says its from. you will likely hear a very weary sigh.

6. if its in a phonecall, scammers love preventing you from hanging up or talking to other people to have a little bit of a think about whats happening. there should always be a possibility to go hey i wanna think about this ill call back the official number thanks.

7. do not, i repeat, do NOT a) call a phone number flashing on your screen promising to rid your computer of viruses after clicking a dodgy link and b) let them install shit on your computer like. uh. idk. teamviewer.

7.i. TEAM VIEWER LETS PEOPLE USE YOUR COMPUTER HOWEVER THEY WANT AS LONG AS THEYRE CONNECTED. IF YOU DONT KNOW FOR FUCKING SURE YOURE TALKING TO ACTUAL TECH SUPPORT DONT GIVE ANYONE ACCESS TO YOUR COMPUTER.

fun little addendum: did you know a link can just automatically download shit? like. a virus? an app you can't uninstall unless you reset your entire device? dont click links unless youre extremely sure you know where they lead. hover your mouse over it and check the url.

thanks.

[mildoccultism]

Please Help a Struggling Queer Family

Hi all, I'm not normally one to make any type of post on Tumblr, let alone one asking for help. But my family really needs assistance, and I'm not sure where else to turn to.

I work full time to pay for me, my spouse, and our pets to live. My spouse got hurt at work a few months back and we have been fighting the insurance company they were insured through to cover the injury. The process is taking much longer than we thought it would, and now with only one source of income I can't keep up with the bills and rent anymore. Our landlord is upping our rent (they know the situation we are in) and I can't afford to pay for my car loan, my car insurance, or any housing.

My account was pushed into the negatives as it is just to get through the beginning of June. And now I can't climb out of the debt from the overdraft fees the bank keeps charging me. I can't physically pay for us to live, and we will lose our home before August comes.

Please, I'm begging, if all you could offer is a penny, or words of kindness or a reblog, I would greatly appreciate it.

I can offer services in exchange as well, I'm a college student working towards my bachelors in anthropology, so I have lots of experience in research, writing, communications, etc. If there's even an email you need written or a phone call you need made, I'll do it. No matter how simple or complex the task is, I can absolutely help in whatever way possible. I used to make DnD campaigns, write short stories, and I worked full time as an administrative assistant, keeping track of personal records and appointments, etc. I have an entire resume I can send!

Please, my family needs help, and I've applied to every possible assistance program there is available to me, I'm out of options. Just a reblog would help me greatly. All I have is Cashapp, I don't know how to work Ko-Fi or PayPal. Please message me if you can help. Or donate if your able to. Thank you all so much!

[strawbearyhoney]

at this point im blocking people who blaze posts / who have tumblr badges on sight . do you understand that there is a genocide going on . do you understand that there are so many people in the world who need help . i am so ashamed . that i cant do more . i dont even have ten dollars in my bank account , my account was even overdrafted and i had to get help so it wasnt in the negative . and there are people who have the money to do something but instead of helping they spend their money on 5+ ( ive seen people with 10+ , even 20+ ) colourful little pixels that go next to their username . do you know how much money that is . i come across people with enough badges that it means they spent like , over a hundred dollars . do you even KNOW how much money that is . and if its something that really needs visibility fine , but ive seen people blaze inane posts like ' i saw a snake today ' or ' omg my crush said he likes me ' did you need to blaze that . did you really need to spend money to make sure i saw that . you had the money to help and you spent it so a bunch of people could know that you love dickriding this racist transphobic website , or so that they know your favourite colour is green or whatever the fuck

everyone is doing what they can with what they have , this post isnt meant to say " if you're poor and you got fast food the other day ur a bad person " . yes , spend your money on things that make you happy / leisurely things , too . but jfc have a brain . tumblr ppl with badges are so fucking stupid and annoying . im disgusted . and i bet its those same people who chastise billionaires for not helping when they could . you dont have to own a megamansion and five yachts to be wealthy , or at least financially comfortable !! if everyone who was able to give gave , it would make up for those who couldnt !! you think that youre so powerless but you can do more than so many peoole !! do your part !! ive donated to multiple palestinian gfms / fundraisers but right now its all i can do to try and lift palestinian voices / publish their asks and reblog posts . im so devastated that i cant do more help . i cant understand people who just dont think

[personal-finance123]

How to select the right Current Account Your Business — Important Tips

If you are a business owner, then it is important to know about your current account. But how can you know which one to go with? Do you want to open a current account online or offline?

Any business needs to have a current account if it wants to run smoothly. The process of opening a business bank account takes just minutes and involves filling up an application form, which is available on the bank’s website or by visiting the nearest branch of the bank. Once you open current account online, you will get access to many benefits such as cash machine withdrawals, usage of internet banking features, etc., depending on what kind of current account has been chosen by you. However, before you look up options to open a current account, you need to research and compare what different banks offer. The goal of this blog post is to provide some helpful tips that will help make the decision-making process easier.

What to Look for in a Current Account?

Closest Branch

Have you considered the proximity of the branch to your office space or location? If not, this is something that should be on your mind. The goal of any good business owner is to have easy access to their bank in case any issues arise. A nearby branch will make it much easier for you if anything comes up. A closer branch may also allow you to take advantage of certain features at the bank, such as cash machines or cheque-cashing services. You’ll always know where they are!

Do thorough research

Remember to do your independent thorough research before opting for an account. Read the underlying terms and conditions to get complete clarity before applying for a current account.

Minimum Balance Requirement

When you are opening a bank account for your business, you will soon realize that there is more to it than just picking the bank with the best interest rates. Many banks have minimum balance requirements each month so be sure to research this before choosing one.

Limit on Overdraft

One factor to consider when choosing a bank account is whether or not you will have an overdraft facility — which means you can spend more than what’s in your account. If this sounds like something that would suit you then there are three things to think about before picking the right one for you: how much money do they offer as their overdraft limit, if they need any paperwork from you, and their ability to apply for a facility of overdraft with a predefined limit.

Services

Personalization of services along with easy banking facilities are two important things to look at. Of course, the cost is an important factor too — but it’s not the only thing you should take into consideration. Some banks offer premium services for businesses that may be worth the higher price tag depending on what your needs are. The trap many business owners fall into is choosing a nearby branch location or attractive interest rate without considering customer service later on.

Conclusion

Current account benefits are numerous, but you have to find the right one for your business needs. Finance is an important aspect of every business, and it can be difficult to find the right bank. With so many different options available, how do you know which one is best for your needs? The tips mentioned in this blog will help you narrow down the current account ideal for your company and save some time during the process!

[cash-apps-limits]

What is the Cash App ATM Withdrawal Limit?

Are you wondering "What is the Cash App ATM withdrawal limit?". If so then you have come to right place. The Cash App is a popular payment service that allows simple and secure peer-to-peer financial transactions. However, the maximum daily Cash App withdrawal limit is set at $250; although it may seem like a lot when compared to traditional banks, this limit can be increased by confirming your identity and connecting it to your bank account.

ATM Cash App withdrawal limit should be a constant thought in your mind whenever you use a debit card on a regular basis, particularly if balances are overdrawn and arise that need overdraft charges to settle. Although these limitations may seem unwieldy initially, their primary objective is to safeguard customers from fraudulent transactions and accounts that are overdrawn, which can result in charges. So, let’s begin and learn more about it.

What is the Cash App's ATM withdrawal limits?

Knowing the ATM withdrawal limit Cash App is essential to avoid any unpleasant surprises or inconveniences if you require cash. Cash App has specific limitations on how much you can withdraw from ATMs with your Cash App Card. The limits are set for security reasons and to protect against unauthorized access to your money. ATM limit Cash App vary according to the business, corporate and financial institution and are determined by various factors, ranging from the type of account and the history of your banking to the credit card risk tolerance. Issuer. Certain cards set daily withdrawal limits based on the type of account it is linked to (such as checking or savings accounts). Here are the different Cash App ATM withdrawal limit:

Daily ATM Withdrawal Limit: Cash App allows you to withdraw up to $250 per day from an ATM using your Cash App Card. This limit is designed to protect your funds in case your card is lost or stolen.

Weekly ATM Withdrawal Limit: In addition to the daily limit, Cash App imposes a weekly ATM withdrawal limit of $1,000. This means that over a week, you can withdraw up to $1,000 in total.

How do you check your Cash App ATM withdrawal limits?

If you have been aware of the limits, you will be wondering how to check the Cash App ATM withdrawal limit. It is easy do so with the help of below mentioned steps:

Open the Cash app on your smartphone.

Click on the profile icon located in the upper left-right-hand corner. You will be able to access the settings for your account.

Scroll down, and then select "Cash Card."

On the next screen, you will find information regarding the Cash Card and the ATM withdrawal limit.

Following these steps, you will be able to quickly review your weekly and daily ATM withdrawal limits to prepare your cash transactions accordingly.

FAQ

Can I Increase My Cash App ATM Withdrawal Limit?

If you want to increase Cash App limit, then you can request an increase via the application. Cash App will look into your request and decide if it is possible to offer a higher limit depending on the history of your account and use.

Does Cash App Charge ATM Withdrawal Fees?

Cash App itself does not charge ATM withdrawal charges. However, they charge fees for the use of their machines. Cash App includes an ATM map that is fee-free to help you locate cost-effective and convenient alternatives.

Are There Any Restrictions on International ATM Withdrawals?

Yes, there is a fee for international ATM withdrawals using a cash App Card, which will incur extra charges that may differ based on the ATM operator as well as the exchange rate. Be sure to verify the charges prior to making international ATM withdrawals.

What Should I Do If My Cash App Card Is Lost or Stolen?

If your Cash App card is lost or stolen, you must immediately report the issue to Cash App customer support. They will assist you in securing your account and will issue a replacement card if needed.

[littlelambdrgnfly]

i feel so bad reading your most recent posts and im so sorry youre going through a rough time. you honestly deserve so much better, you are such a kind person in general, i hope easier times come to you

Thank you sweetheart, it means a lot to me that you’d take the time to write me a message 💖💖 I feel like I complain too often, and that there are billions of people out there with worse lives than me, but I have to remind myself that I’m allowed to feel dissatisfied with my life. This is kind of the only place where I feel totally free to vent about my shit too. I can to my therapist, but I only see her once a month, and Tumblr is free lol. Idk dude, I just feel like so many of my problems could so easily be solved with more money, and it’s fucking frustrating. Even my social life would have opportunity to improve because I wouldn’t be working all the fucking time and I’d have money to actually do things instead of sitting at home watching tv. I think when you’re below a certain income level, it really feels like nothing can ever get better. You can’t really save, you put off making necessary purchases for years, you can’t afford to live in a nice house in a nice neighborhood, and you’re only two bad weeks away from an overdraft bank account. I know I’ve got it a lot better than a lot of people, but I also know I’ve got it a lot worse than others. I know there’s a good life out there somewhere but I don’t know how to get there.

[37q]

so yall know i gotta lor sis righ. well. fuck dude. those obligations from earlier. part rant part support seeking skip to the very end for that second part

context. 17 y/o not in school, homeless, lowkey estranged from her parents. father is unemployed and lying abt it, abusive and his ego is constantly reacting to his material precaritys impact on his manhood, sits at my old shop all day doing nothing. mom, actually employed, covering for dad, also used to work at my old shop before being fired for stealing a stack of cash, getting worse w her precarity and also sits at the shop a lot a lot. no idea where her lor bro sleeps. no idea how old he is too, could be 12 in an 8 year olds body for all i kno

so i pick her up at 1030, we go to the mall and check the ubreakifix type place and they dont work on iphone 8s. bet. we have a spare XR she bought off her big bro. missing sim tray, got a free replacement from the shop. go to the apple store, the XR is permalocked unless factory reset from the icloud acct tethered to the device (truly dystopian imo), schedule genius bar appt for tmrw at 11. take her back to her friends house, the one i hired a month before i left so she could have a comrade and a place to stay nearish work that isnt her moms (although they were kicked out of their motel right when i hired steven i think. so, unhappy coincidence?).

sis works then so i drop her off at work at 9 and take her phone w me. go home come back to the mall. genius at the bar says its busted, whatever. not like i been sayin that. its missing like the bottom 1/5 of the backing like straight up exposed circuitry and she leans it on its bottom edge on whatever flat surface she can find at her perpetually wet food service job. refurbished options more expensive than the cheap 'new' products, not saying much tho. deliver busted phone and info to her -- her mom and dad are there ofc -- go home. later pick her up that night (last night) and drive her to her gfs in the heights. oh also dropping steven and their mutual friend off at stevens on the way. whatever its like literally en route its actually kinda perfect every time.

apparently im picking her up this morning. Okay. oh yeah shes locked out of her paycard account. she locks the card when shes at 0 in case she gets an auto withdrawal thatll overdraft her. she got paid today so she was gonna unlock it but how did she access her acct previously? thumbprint. no password memory whatsoever. pretty fair, id say? she texted me asking for the last 4 of her SSN this morning. nobody picked up her call to the bank(?) until she called them in the car with me. the form required to change login credentials when u dont have account access required those digits and a form of photo id. no ability to access it from her ADP because the pw changed at some point but it still took her print.

reminder. shes homeless and out of school. she has a birth certificate but thats where my certainty of her documentation ends. ive run into this before where i wanted to start a real bank acct for her but they require legally viable photo id and even non driver state ids require 1. proof of permanent residence (X) and 2. proof of enrollment in school for minors (X) at the MVA.

so anyways weve kinda hit a wall with the limitations her unsupportive parents / guardians have provided! its taking up a large portion of my emotional, mental, physical, and temporal space in life right now so i wanted to make a post about it. my little bandaid desire is to at least set her up with a new phone which i estimate would be $200 minimum for actual 'verified third party vendors of used phones' but ugh i didnt budget for this.

oh the support seeking! if you know me and wanna ease the load on my sisters shoulders a but, id be grateful for some help raising funds for a new phone! ill include some $ links. if were unacquainted but youre reading this anyway and have a spare $5 wed love the support! thanks for reading :)

cashapp: $rmwperfect | venmo: @rmwperfect | paypal: @37q

[saiyanqueenreads]

So, You Just Turned 18/Just Moved Out: Free Financial Advice From a Banker Pt.2

My continuing series on helping those just starting out to get a good grasp on their finances, how banking works, and making informed choices.

**Major changes are in the works currently within the government that may help eliminate many fees at American banks, so while at the time of writing overdraft and NSF fees are common at almost all banks, some may not be around for much longer.  But it’s important to know how this kind of thing works regardless!**

What happens when you don’t have $ in your account:

What are my bank options when my account runs dry? Well that depends on your situation.  I recommend never spending money you don’t have if at all possible. But if you need to buy food because your fridge is empty and payday isn’t until the end of the week, or need to make rent.... things are clearly complicated.   + You can attempt to overdraft. If you’re going to do that you’re going to want to spend all at once, (but try to keep it to within $100-ish of what you had to start with because of the reasons given below), on a debit card for your best chance for success.  Don’t make several purchases if you can help it, because the fees you incur are per transaction. The exception to this rule is if your bank has a minimum transaction amount policy for their overdraft fees. (Citizens Bank, Wells Fargo, and Chase, for example, will not charge you for purchases under $5) In that case several tiny transactions can be the smarter idea. + You can use existing credit if you have a credit card or line.  Interest not withstanding, spending when no immediate funds are available is basically credit’s JOB... But don’t let yourself fall down the slippery credit-use slope. (We’ll cover that in a later post.) + You can apply for new credit.  However, you are unlikely to be granted a credit card or line without money in the bank unless you have substantial collateral such as a valuable vehicle or house, which most people just starting out don’t have. It also takes TIME for new credit to make its way into your hands. (It should be noted that I have never worked in a credit opening capacity and therefore cannot offer much knowledge in this area)

How does overdraft work? When you attempt to spend more money than you currently have in your bank account the bank has the option to essentially decide to ‘loan’ you that extra money.  But that loan isn’t free.  It comes with an overdraft fee.  Most banks charge around $25-$35 for this.  So in order to get your account out of the red you have to put in not only the amount the bank let you ‘borrow’, but also that fee.

When can overdraft be useful No one likes getting overdraft fees, but sometimes they’re worth it.  Such as paying your rent to avoid eviction or an even bigger late-fee from your landlord, or if you’re at a gas station with an empty tank and just NEED the gas to get home.  But banks can be fickle about letting you overdraft (see NSF below) so you can’t reliably count on it.

You can turn off your debit card’s ability to overdraft Some banks allow you to turn off a debit card’s ability to overdraft your account.  But you should know that that doesn’t mean your account can’t still become overdrafted. Autopay transactions on the card may still get through because they are not being authorized that day, but were instead pre-authorized months or years earlier when you set up the autopay.  Also, payments that are pulled straight from your account using the account number (ACH, wires, ect) wouldn’t be effected, and neither would checks.  So turning it off on your debit card may only be worth doing if you find yourself constantly overdrafting because of one time purchases.  No point in paying a $35 OD fee for a $6 McD’s late night munchie run... BUT keep in mind that also means it can’t be done in an emergency situation.

The bank’s OTHER option when you've got no $$: NSF Simply put, the bank can basically decide they don’t want to loan you money in the form of overdraft when you try to pay for something you don’t have enough for.  They can simply nope out of the situation.  However they can still charge you a fee for forcing them to make the attempt and making them say no to the folks on the other side of the transaction who really wanted that $$$.  Enter NSF (non-sufficient funds).  *NSF are particularly frustrating because a banker won’t really even be able to tell you if a payment will be paid or not ahead of time because the decisions are made using complex algorithms within the bank’s computer systems during overnight processing times.  *You’ll most often see NSF on ACH, checks, or wire transactions that would overdraft you by $300 or more, but every bank has different tolerances and every customer has a different threshold that changes constantly because of those complex algorithms. (I’ve seen people not able to overdraft more than $200 before hitting NSFs, and I’ve seen people at -$4,000 before it kicked in.)  *Debit cards generally don’t see NSFs because the card itself will either successfully overdraft, or immediatly decline and never actually process the transaction.

[classicquid]

How Does Short Term Cash Loans Make Easy Borrowing Possible?

Everybody experiences emergencies that arise out of the blue. Exterminating unforeseen expenses or other fees could be a tough nut to crack if your hands aren't stuffed full of cold, hard cash. If you need additional financial support, you can choose a short term cash loans UK direct lender, who is always willing to offer you a helping hand in a timely manner.

In order to obtain a short term cash loans direct lender, a borrower must not schedule a meeting with a broker or other third party. Lenders and borrowers directly negotiate the terms of the loan. Consumers benefit by saving time and money. How does it help the consumer save money? In contrast to short term loans UK direct lenders, a broker receives a portion of the commission in this case. How is time saved? If you use a direct lender, your mediation appointment is cancelled. Brief-term loans when unexpected expenses or additional charges put you in trouble, a UK direct lender could be your rescuer. These loans assist you in overcoming unforeseen financial hardship situations.

At Classic Quid, we make it easy for you to obtain these short term loans for bad credit. We understand that you don't want long-term reimbursement obligations hanging over your head. If you choose, you can return your money to us as negotiated in a week or a month. These loans might therefore act as your safety net. With the flexibility of planned or early reimbursement, you may manage your finances as soon as your application is approved. When you need to pay for some unneeded expenses or other charges like a car or washing machine break-down, toilet or sewage repair up, outstanding bank overdrafts, medical bills, etc., a short-term loan direct lender is suitable and fine.

Is it Still Possible to Get a Short-Term Loan from a UK Direct Lender?

Yes, men with less-than-perfect or poor credit can obtain short term loans UK direct lender in the United Kingdom. We carefully review all loan applications that are submitted to us. You should not be concerned if your credit score is low. Classic Quid's goal is to connect you with reputable lenders who are always eager to lend money to people with bad credit. Furthermore, we do not accept short-term loan applications on a random basis. Your ability to repay the

We provide specialised loan services here, which explain why the loan application process has been simplified. That is why you will know the exact loan amount you must repay and when you must repay it. When it comes to the method of operation, we have both advantages and disadvantages. This is due to our reputation in the loan industry throughout the United Kingdom.

Borrowing from a direct lender is much easier than short term loans UK if you follow some loan requirements. These loan terms and conditions are as follows: you are 18 years old, a UK resident, and have an income that is sufficient to repay the loan on time. Furthermore, you have a bank account in your name.

What Is the Fee and APR Structure, and How Can I Get a Good Deal on Short Term Loans UK?

Structure of fees and APR If you submit your loans request to Classic Quid, you will improve. Examine the fees and APR interest rate — these are the factors that will determine whether you're getting a good deal. We will leave a comparison of our interest rates and those of our competitors.

We are able to offer lower interest rates because our main competitors charge high interest rates on such short term loans UK. They have APRs [Annual Percentage Rates] in the 1000s, but ours are much lower. We encourage you to compare our rates to those of our major competitors and make your own decision. So you don't have to wait...! From our lending page, you can apply for our short term loans UK direct lender.

Our application procedure is entirely online. You can complete your paperwork from the comfort of your own home or office. You simply need to fill out our simple loan request form with all of your personal information and send it to us. If we find that all of your information is correct, we'll send you a loan approval message via phone or email. You do not need to come to our offices to get your money. As soon as possible, we wire the funds directly to your bank account.

https://classicquid.co.uk/

[x-reader-theater]

I absolutely love your writing. It inspires me so much. You asked for requests..I'd like to see some Rossi and son reader if that's okay. Maybe with reader x Reid in it as well. I absolutely love how you write and I'm a sucker for feels. So maybe like.. a hostage situation or kidnapping?

I'm not making this a part three to my Spencer x Rossi's!Son reader because I want that to be full of fluff and love and marriage and shit. This is a platonic story between Rossi and his Son. Edited by @mystic-writes

Gif by @tobias-hankel

You sigh as you tap your foot, waiting in line to talk to the clerk. The bank had been withdrawing $25 from your bank account every month citing "Overdraft Fees," but you haven't overdrafted your account since *highschool.* When you're almost there, you realize something is really wrong. The clerk talking to the hooded man looks *terrified.*

You take out your phone and open the camera, making sure to get the clerk's face in it. When you take the picture however, you realize your sound is on, and your phone makes a very loud *CLICK*.

The man turns around and smacks you across the face, sending you flying to the floor. You manage to send the photo to your dad before the phone is crushed underfoot.

"Get over there!" the man screams, pointing a gun at you.

Your eyes widen and you scramble over to the group of people in the corner.

"It's okay. It's going to be okay," you whisper to the mother with three children next to her on the floor.

"Stop talking!" the man shouts, hitting himself with his fists on her arms.

"I know you don't want to hurt anyone!" you shout back.

"No! No! I don't want to hurt you!"

"I know! But, you have three terrified children here who are going to be hurt if you keep them here," you explain calmly. "Please, let them and their mother go."

The man nods to himself, whispering, before nodding more vigorously. "Okay. Go. You," he points his gun at you. "You stay."

You nod, helping the children up, and the woman and her three kids all slowly walk towards the exit and leave. There's shouting and crying outside, but all you can do is stare at the man. He stares back at you, and you think you can see regret in his eyes.

"You never wanted to do this, did you?" you ask him. He shakes his head and you get up. He points the gun at you, frightened, but you put your hands up. "You don't want to hurt anyone. You're just desperate. You need the money and you think this is the only way for you to survive."

"Yeah. Yeah!" he exclaims.

"I can help you. But, you need to give me the gun. No one needs to get hurt." you put your hand out, and the man looks at it, grimacing with closed lips, before slowly handing it out to you. You close around the grip of the gun, your fingers over his, and you smile, taking it from him. "Thank you. What's your name?"

"Uh, Jesias," he says, scratching his inner elbows. He's a junkie.

You nod and smile. "Can you put your hands behind your back, Jesias? I'm not going to hurt you, I just need to know you won't hurt me."

He nods and does as asked. You put one of your hands over his, and lead him past the terrified groups of people, and out the front door.

"Freeze! Put your hands up!" you hear the cops yell.

"Stand down! That's my son!" You hear a familiar voice say. You grin when you see your dad rushing towards you.

Some cops come over and take the man away from you, as well as the gun, and you throw your arms around your father's neck. "Dad!" you exclaim, hugging him close.

"Oh, Mi Babino. Are you alright?" he asks, pulling away with his hands on your arms, looking you up and down. You nod. "That was very reckless."

You shrug. "I learned from the best," you say with a wink.

He just sighs and hugs you again.

[verse50]

Word for the Year: Compassion

It’s been one year to the day I last traveled interstate and was in a crowded building full of unmasked people. It’s surreal, typing that. Back then I didn’t have time to think about the creeping change as my medical career shifted into quantum overdrive. This put my writing on a distant shelf, one I quietly observed and engaged with only briefly for twelve long months. 

Although I was mostly disengaged, the fans were not. During this time I discovered readers were interacting with certain older stories. Reblogs, comments, messages, hearts- it just would not quit. The same ones, again and again without fail. After awhile I noticed a pattern. These were stories with no lurid scenes or explicit dialogue. They were mostly stories of “no.” A Dom hears her safeword and stops the scene, gives her water, cuddles, and soothing conversation before a hot bath (Aftercare). A couple gears up for fun impact play but when she starts to cry he stops and asks what’s wrong? All the problems start tumbling out as he listens, puts up the toys, showers her, then whispers “I’ll take care of you” as she falls asleep (Presence). Fans were going crazy for these stories and I wondered why.

It’s because the characters were compassionate to each other. 

We all know that a safeword is sacrosanct and must be listened to without delay, then followed up with appropriate aftercare. But what is the trigger for that? A rule, a written contract? Those can be broken and ignored, especially in the heat of the moment. What is the internal trigger to stop, listen, and change behavior? It’s compassion. And for it to become a reflexive response, it must be honed, practiced, and centered at the core of the moral compass. We might encounter compassion as a child when a caregiver soothes our scraped knee or when we stop to for a hurt puppy in the ditch but in relationships? Compassion is never edgey enough to be at the top of the “must have” list. This past year taught me that we are starved for compassion. Why?

We are beset on every side by a lack of compassion eroding our intimate relationships, our family networks, careers, financial and social systems, governance, academia, and healthcare. Lack of compassion tells us to ignore problems and forge ahead as if nothing is wrong, as if American-born Black mothers aren’t dying at a higher rate than other developed countries and insulin prices aren’t soaring. Lack of compassion prevents Black communities from accessing capital for infrastructure improvements. Lack of compassion prohibits undocumented meatpackers from being Covid vaccinated (an epidemiological nightmare). Lack of compassion helps banks harvest $11 billion in overdraft fees from low monthly deposit accounts, making the owners vulnerable to account closings and subsequent predatory check cashing services. Lack of compassion divides migrant families, reduces healthcare access in private prisons, and traumatizes abuse victims who in turn victimize others. Lack of compassion makes critical infrastructure vulnerable to weather and utility breakdowns. When we look closely, lack of compassion blinds us to problem origins, ignores warning signs, disregards emotional response, and (once the problem is too big to ignore), discounts it as if it weren’t really there at all. 

For too long now, lack of compassion has been sold to us as strength and resilience when the opposite is actually true. Lack of compassion is an illusion of functionality that breaks down under the slightest test. It is the hallmark of pushing responsibility under the rug, passing the buck, and ignoring your intimate partner’s concerns because they are too much work. It comes across as dominant when it's just opportunist. It appears competent when it actually can’t produce. At the end of the day, lack of compassion wants a reward for doing the absolute minimum. 

Compassion, on the other hand, actually does the work. Compassion sees a problem, listens to the concerns, and develops solutions. Compassion discovered insulin and the polio vaccine. Compassion is World Central Kitchen employing restaurants and feeding vulnerable populations on every continent. Compassion is grassroots disaster relief for a storm-battered state. Compassion helps us recover from trauma. Compassion draws a line in the sand, listens to that “no”, and immediately changes behavior. It creates boundaries. Why is this so important?

Compassion is the most vital element to creating a functional society. It forms bonds and solves problems. Above all, it protects us from the most dangerous tendencies of our own humanity. Unmitigated, humans will run amok in selfishness, high on dopamine from their own power. Educated compassion, ingrained via authority figure examples, will veer us away from the precipice of collective annihilation. It prevents us from seeing any human as “other”, or less than- a root of abuse and eventual genocide.

You will see compassion marketed as “soft”, good for children and sick people, animals, and non-profit spreadsheets. In general, it is valued outside private sector discussions, especially finance or infrastructure. You will see it mentioned as a trauma recovery tool, but not a trauma prevention tool. Why? Compassion literally creates innovation, design, better practices, clear communication, and addresses problems in the early, manageable stage before millions of dollars are spent on fixing something spiraling out of control. I am telling you, lack of compassion is the core of so. many. issues. If Halliburton had compassion for the environment and the lives of oil rig workers, they would not have ignored the unstable cement in the Deepwater Horizon wells.

All of these compounding issues make us feel trapped in a web that doesn’t care, doesn’t listen, and never notices when we voice a concern. Those stories the fans love? They gravitate to them because finally, here is a window into the sunlight, a place where I am treated as a human being should be. I can speak. I will be seen and listened to. Behavior will change appropriately. I won’t be pushed to the limits of my endurance or be forced to lash out in self-defense.

The deepest intimate desire is not always an orgasm or kink. It is compassion. This is what people need, what they are crying out for in the rest of society. The same values that bond us intimately are the ones we want patterned in the world around us. This should be our focus after the stress of last year- how do we heal? How do we help each other survive? 

Remember, compassion always does the work when nothing else will.

This is the annual Word for the Year published originally on Patreon.

[paulckrueger]

Dispute Your Overdraft Fee with This Exact Script (plus how to avoid fees in the future)

Banks like Bank of America, TD Bank, Citizens Bank, and Wells Fargo are notorious for overdraft fees, and it’s B.S. 

Luckily, you can get your overdraft fees waived (using a simple negotiation script that we’ll provide for you) and beat the banks at their own game.

First, let’s take a super quick look at how overdraft fees really work and break down the exact charges you can expect:

What is an overdraft fee?

An overdraft fee is a charge from your bank that occurs when you take more money out of your checking account than what is currently in there. 

Rather than simply decline a transaction for insufficient funds at the point of sale, a customer enrolled in their bank’s overdraft protection service will see the transaction approved. 

Wow, really? 

This can be a lifesaver in emergency situations when money is needed and there aren’t sufficient funds available in an account.

Most people just pay the overdraft fees without thinking twice about it. They reason that if the bank or credit union was nice enough to let the transaction sail through when it really shouldn’t have, then I’ll pay it, it is what it is. 

But overdraft fees are a big problem for several reasons. 

Though the fee will vary from bank to bank, here are overdraft fees from a few of the most popular banks as of 2021:

BANK     OVERDRAFT FEE

Chase. $34

Bank of America.   $35

Wells Fargo.  $35

US Bank.   $36

PNC Bank.   $36

Citibank.   $34

These fees might not seem that high for rare, accidental instances occurring just a few times per year. 

However, these fees can stack up — and fast (and the banks know it).

One surprising fact is that overdraft fees are incurred per transaction AND can be incurred multiple times in the same day, 

So, say you are out and about shopping and using the same debit card. All of the transactions are approved — but you are blissfully unaware that there were insufficient funds in your checking account. 

This means that you would be charged separate overdraft fees for all of the approved transactions. This could be hundreds of dollars in fees all on the same day. 

Luckily, you can negotiate to get overdraft fees waived if you have the right scripts. That’s why we want to show you exactly how you can get your overdraft fees waived with a simple phone call to your bank.

If you’re worried about your personal finances, you can improve them without even leaving your couch. Check out my Ultimate Guide to Personal Finance for tips you can implement TODAY.

How to get overdraft fees waived

Here’s a truth not a lot of people know: All bank fees are negotiable and can even be refunded.

Remember: Your bank wants to keep you as a customer. A well-executed phone call can often make a difference.

Call your bank and use this script

Here’s how I was able to waive an overdraft fee I got years ago: He called up his bank and the conversation went like this:

RAMIT: Hi, I just saw this bank charge for overdrafting and I’d like to have it waived.

BANK: I see that fee. Unfortunately, we’re not able to waive that fee. It was [some BS excuse about how it’s not waivable].

RAMIT: Well, I’ve been a good customer with the bank for X years now and would still like to get it waived since this is a rare occurrence. What else can you do to help me?

BANK: Hmm, one second sir. I see that you’re a really good customer. I’m going to check with my supervisor. Can you hold for a second?

[hold]

I was able to check with my supervisor and waive the fee. Is there anything else I can help you with today?

And just like that, he got my overdraft fee waived. This script works so well for a number of reasons:

I repeated my complaint and asked the bank rep how they could constructively help me.

I’ve been a loyal customer to the bank for many years, which you should always use to your advantage when calling to negotiate.

I was polite but firm. Nothing can force a negotiation to go sour faster than a bad attitude.

You can use this exact script in order to get yours waived too.

And it doesn’t just work for overdraft fees — you can use this for other bank fees too, like processing fees, monthly fees, late fees, and even ATM fees.

What do you do if the bank says no?

There is always the chance they still say no to your request — and that’s okay. When that happens, there are three options you can take:

Be persistent

Banks pay hundreds of dollars in customer-acquisition costs and don’t want to lose you. If you’re persistent enough and make it hard for them to say no, you’ll have the upper hand if they try to shoot you down.

Hang up and call again

Sometimes getting your fee waived is a matter of getting the right bank rep on the line. If the first bank rep keeps shutting you out, politely thank them for their time, hang up, and dial the number again.

Pay the fee

You’re not going to win all negotiations. Sometimes you’re going to have to just pay the fee. BUT if you have the right scripts and prepare, you can be infinitely more ready than you were before.

When it comes to overdraft fees though, the best system is the one where you don’t have to worry about them at all. That’s why we suggest learning how to avoid getting hit with overdraft fees entirely so you don’t have to concern yourself with negotiating them away after the fact. 

How to avoid future overdraft fees

Prevention is better than a cure. So rather than deal with the consequences of overdraft fees, avoid them entirely with these four methods.

1) Opt-out of overdraft protection

When you sign up for a checking account, many banks try to convince you to sign up for automatic overdraft protection. It’s the policy in which the bank will cover you when you overcharge on your debit card, but charge you the overdraft fee for the trouble.

However, if you choose to opt out of overdraft protection, your card will simply get declined every time you attempt to charge more money than you currently have in the account.

Sure, it might be embarrassing if you’re on a date and it turns out you can’t pay for dinner because your card got declined — but it can go a long way in saving you money on overdraft fees.

TIP: Thanks to banking regulations put in place in 2010, it is illegal for banks to automatically enroll customers in automatic overdraft protection. Banks must give customers a choice to accept or decline enrollment.

2) Utilize account transfers

Some banks offer an overdraft protection service that works by transferring money from another account to the one you’re trying to take money from.

This can be from another checking account, a savings account, or even a credit card (depending on what your bank offers).

For example, say you’re using your debit card to buy dinner. Your debit card is linked to your checking account, which doesn’t have enough money in it. If you have an account transfer set up, it’s okay! If you’ve depleted the money in your checking account, money will just be transferred from your savings to cover the costs.

NOTE: Some banks charge a small fee with this practice as well — though it’ll be much lower than an overdraft fee.

3) Try the envelope system

This is a great system to help you keep track of your expenses for anything.

And it’s simple: At the beginning of each month, you allocate cash for things like going out, groceries, gas, and whatever else into envelopes. Once you’ve spent the money in those envelopes, you’re done spending for the month.

Of course, if there’s an emergency you can definitely dip into other envelopes — but that only means you have less money to spend in those areas.

You can set up your envelope system in three steps:

Decide how much you want to spend in each major category each month.

Put money into each envelope (e.g., $200 for groceries, $150 for eating out, $60 for entertainment).

Spend the money — but when the envelopes are empty, that’s it for the month.

You don’t even need to use physical envelopes. You can track your spending with a separate bank account and debit card while opting out of overdraft protection.

When the month starts, transfer around $200 into the account — and when you go out, only spend that money. Once the money is gone, stop spending.

Whatever system you decide to use, you just need to make sure to decide how much you’re willing to spend in each category (and that’s all up to you).

4) Get a new checking account

One great way to avoid overdraft fees entirely is to get a checking account with a bank that doesn’t have them.

My favorite: Charles Schwab Investor Checking

A few highlights:

No fees

No minimums

No-fee overdraft protection

Free checks

Deposit checks via pre-paid envelopes or via iPhone app (snap photos of your check — no need to go into the branch)

An ATM card

Unlimited reimbursement of any ATM usage

That’s right. There’s no-fee overdraft protection AND unlimited ATM reimbursement.

How often do you go out with friends and have to withdraw money from out-of-network ATMs? How often do you find yourself at a cash-only taco place at 3:30 am, needing to withdraw $20, but you hesitate because of onerous ATM fees?

Those fees can add up, and Schwab reimburses you for all of them. If you rack up $200 worth of ATM fees in a month, you’ll see a $200 deposit from Schwab before the month ends. This means you can use ANY ATM — corner stores, other banks, whatever — without having to look for some specific bank’s ATM.

Some people will balk at using Schwab because it’s an online bank. That’s fine, but we urge you to reconsider: It’s rare to find a checking account that (1) avoids screwing you at every turn, and (2) actually rewards you for using them.

5) Use a payment app

One way to ensure that your checking account does not get overdrawn and that the account does not incur overdraft fees is to use a 3rd party payments app, such as PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or CashApp, and to connect the app to your checking account. 

So, if you pay for something with the payment app, and there isn’t enough money in the bank account that the app is connected to, then the transaction simply doesn’t go through — no overdraft fees, no problem.

These payment apps are convenient for P2P — paying your bestie back for paying for your Uber home last night — but generally cannot be set up to pay for bills or for in-store shopping. Because of this, they are limited, but they can be a great way to avoid surprise overdraft fees. 

Master your personal finances

Once you learn how to avoid getting nickeled-and-dimed by your bank, you’ll be well on your way to living a Rich Life.

And you don’t need any fancy get rich quick schemes or snake oil. All you need is determination and the right systems put in place to help you get the most out of your financial situation and not have to worry about living “frugally” (aka sacrificing the things you love).

In our Ultimate Guide to Personal Finance, you’ll learn how to:

Master your 401k: Take advantage of the free money offered to you by your company … and get rich while doing it.

Manage Roth IRAs: Start saving for retirement in a worthwhile long-term investment account.

Automate your expenses: Take advantage of the wonderful magic of automation and make investing pain-free.

Enter your info below and get on your way to living a Rich Life today — and avoid overdraft fees forever.

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Dispute Your Overdraft Fee with This Exact Script (plus how to avoid fees in the future) is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Surety Bond Brokers? Business https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/get-bank-and-overdraft-fees-waived/

[jakemorgansblog]

Great Tips On How To Plan For College

Many people look at college as the most thrilling period of their shape. However, there are things that could make a good thing become a nightmare. The piece that follows offers the sort of college tips necessary to help you attain goals without succumbing to excess stress.

College is filled with a lot of stress as the best thing that you can do in regards to school is to prepare in advance. Avoid procrastination at all times, as this will only add to the stresses that you already face. By doing your work ahead of time, you can feel prepared and organized as college goes on.

If you recently entered college, one of the first things that you should do is purchase your books from the bookstore. This will help you to reduce the stresses that you will face as the year begins, as you should always come prepared with the right materials and texts for school.

Know as much as you can about the career you'd like to get into before even applying for college. This can help you pick a college with courses that you need for the degree you want. If you are unsure, talk with an admissions counselor.

Get as involved as possible with the students on campus and with certain organizations in the school. This is very important as you do not want to be tagged as a social outcast with nothing to do during the day. This will help you to make friends and feel like a part of the university.

When it comes to succeeding in college, there are many influential factors. In fact, even your choice of seat can make a difference. Instead of ducking into class and taking a seat in the back of the room, show up on time and nab a seat up front. You are sure to feel more fully engaged and will have the ability to ask lots of questions.

If you need money for college, you should consider applying for federal financial aid and scholarships. Visit the FAFSA website and follow the application process to get access to federal funding or grants. If you are denied federal funding, apply for different scholarships related to the subject you want to study.

If you can you should open up a bank account at a bank that also has branches in your home town. This way it will be easier for your parents to put money into your account and it be available right away instead of having to wait 3-5 business days.

Keep up with your checking account to avoid wasting money on overdraft charges. Debit cards are easy to study-tips, and unfortunately, that means it is also easy to spend more money than you actually have. Get into a schedule where you check your account online every few days so that this does not happen to you.

Take the school bus. Taking the bus to school is quick, easy and free in most college towns. You won't have to look for parking either. You will also never have to pay the high gas prices or for parking. It's also a great way to "go green."

Download foreign language learning podcasts and MP3 lessons onto your MP3 player or tablet. Listen to the lessons while driving or riding the bus to school. This will help prepare you for your foreign language classes. You can practice pronunciation, and work on vocabulary instead of wasting your travel time.

As you already know, college is one of the most enjoyable experiences in you adulthood. With hard work and dedication, college life can be both fruitful and fun. When you keep the information here in mind, you shouldn't have any problems.

[amphtaminedreams]

If We Can’t Have the Parties, At Least We Have the Coats: Lookbook no.13

Hi to anyone reading,

It’s been a weird winter, right?

A winter that I REALLY did not need to buy as many clothes for as I have. You WILL save loads of money during this lockdown, I told myself. You WILL. And yet here I am in December, in exactly the same financial position I was in March. You would think that making the switch to an environmentally friendly wardrobe would mean I own less but now I no longer have the guilt of supporting fast fashion to hold me back, I’ve accumulated more clothes than ever. Part of a sustainable wardrobe is also about reducing your consumption so now I’ve mostly made the move towards only supporting transparent companies/small businesses, I can move onto the buying less part. I haven’t thrown any clothes away but still, I am not the clothes rescuer I think I am-more just an overdraft abuser. To add to that, for those of us actually following the rules (half the people I went to secondary school with flaunting their apparently unaffected social lives on Instagram, I’m looking at you) there aren’t actually all that many opportunities to wear new outfits. Not to go too first world problems, but it is a little shit when getting dressed up and doing your makeup is one of the things that you do to help you feel a little better, especially when the seasonal (and situational in these times) depression kicks in.

So yes, I have been extra af recently and combatted this with the decision to start making an effort to outfit plan for the most basic of tasks. We’re talking a full face of makeup and accessories for going into town to get a coffee or to meet a friend for a walk. I mean, I still go to Tesco in my trackies but if I’m seeing somebody else, I am sure as hell going to treat it as a reason to wear something nice. See the winter outfits section of the lookbook as your inspiration to do the same because I can guarantee you the sense of normality forcing yourself to take makeup off at the end of the day brings will actually make you feel a lot better. Genuinely the mark of exceptional times. We’ve also got the few days relief period over Christmas in the UK where we’re allowed to mix with a maximum of 3 other households, and ignoring the fact that it doesn’t really make any sense given that the number of people you could end up mixing with depends on the size of the households and is realistically completely arbitrary (I have a lot of feelings about how fucking moronic half the decisions this government has been making are but then again, what’s new?), I’m sure those of you with big families are gonna be partying. I’m only spending Christmas with my immediate family but I thought I’d put some more festive outfits together anyway. I know, I know, it sounds like I’m just bullshitting an explanation as to why I put this lookbook together when in reality I’m trying to make myself feel better about the damage to my bank account buuuut it really is more a case of being inspired by my Depop finds and if you are trying to quit fast fashion, I can’t recommend the app enough (especially if you know what you’re looking for). As I did in the last lookbook, I will make sure to include the tags of all the people I bought these pieces from but I also thought it might be helpful to make a note of some of the descriptors I used to find them so you can get more of an idea how to find the things you’re looking for too, as well as prices. I did include the names of the shops I bought the few fast fashion items I styled from too, mostly earlier this year or at some point over the last couple of years, on the basis that they may be a useful search prompt if you’re looking for something similar or the exact item-the majority are no longer available (disclaimer: I haven’t bought anything from Boohoo in a longgg time) to buy but you might be able to find an account that’s selling a used version. Don’t be put off by that-I’ve had to wash a couple of pieces but for the most part, that hasn’t been necessary. Charity shops usually wash things before they put them out, so you have nothing to worry about there either-I expect that they’re particularly thorough at the moment considering the COVID crisis.

Enough rambling from me for now! Enjoy!

-(SOCIALLY DISTANCED) PARTY SZN LOOKS-

Powder Blue Wide Brim Felt Hat/Fedora: £16.99

Structured White Mesh Oh Polly Mini Dress w/Ruched Detail: £27

Black PVC Beret w/Red Flame Detail: £14

Red Fit and Flare Dress w/Satin Corset & Tulle Skirt: £12

Black PVC Vintage Platform Boots w/Red Flame Detail: £27

White Satin Corset w/Straps: £8

Pinstripe Cropped Blazer Co-ord Set: £12.50

Oh Mighty Strappy Contrast Corset: £27

Contrast Check Cigarette Trousers: £15

Pink Topshop Gingham Blazer Co-ord Set BNWT: £35

White Strappy Corset w/Suspender Detail: £10

White PVC Beret w/Black Flame Detail: £14

Reworked Strappy Patchwork Sports Cropped Tee: £10

Black Combat Cargo Trousers: £5

Strappy Tie-dye Pretty Little Thing Corset BNWT: £15

PVC/Vinyl Zip-up Mini Skirt w/Belt Detail: £9

White Satin Cowl Neck Mini Slip Dress: £8

Urban Outfitters ‘90s Style Celestial Print Mesh Babydoll Dress: £15

-(SOMETIMES PRACTICAL) COAT SZN LOOKS-

UNIF Colour Block Oversized Jumper/Sweater: £25

Topshop Dark Wash Denim Kick Flare Jeans w/Frayed Hem Detail: £16

Vintage ‘70s Style Brown Faux Suede Western Blazer/Jacket: £15

Black Velvet High Neck Bodysuit w/Keyhole Detail: £4

Topshop Paisley Print Chiffon Midi Dress: £15

Brandy Melville Cropped Motorcross Slogan Slogan Tee: £13.60

Ragged Priest Gingham Cargo/Combat Trousers w/Utility Style Buckle Detailing: £33

Black Kappa Logo Beanie: £12

White Platform FILA Disruptors in Good Condition: £55

Black Fur Bucket Hat: £8

Celestial Silver Moon Detail Chain Belt: £18

Black Satin Cowl Neck Detail Midi Slip Dress: £15

Floral Print Platform Boots: £10

Blue Denim ASOS High Rise Mom Jeans: £12

Brown Vintage ‘70s Style Afghan Coat w/Fur Trim: £25

Teal Wide Brim Felt Hat/Fedora: £10

Topshop Floral Print A-Line Jacquard Mini Skirt: £7

Lana Del Rey Screen Printed T-Shirt: £9.99

Vintage Corduroy Contrast Stripe Trousers w/Kick Flare: £28

Anyone that read to the end, thank you so much as always and I hope this shows just how many in-trend pieces you can find second hand! I know I'm SUPER far behind to the point where it’s closer to the F/W2021 shows now than it is since the S/S2021 collections were showcased but I decided I am going to do a full length fashion week review. I also have a few moodboards planned and my next is gonna be one focussing purely on plus sized fashion as the feedback that I got from my New Style Icons post was that I could have included more bigger girls; I am so, so, SO passionate about body positivity and fat acceptance, especially since I know my own relationship with my body would be so much better if this kind of movement was more prominent when I was younger, so I don’t for a minute want anyone to think it was my intention to be exclusionary in any way. It bears repeating that I genuinely appreciate feedback in any form (as long as it’s not too mean and presumptive, lol) and I hope the next post doesn’t disappoint! It hasn’t been a good year for cinema due to COVID having lead to theatre closures, however I still do want to do another film tier ranking in the new year as that is something I really enjoyed doing last time. Any more suggestions are welcome!

As always, my inbox is always open if you need someone to talk to or just wanna chat about a post:-) I am constantly on the look out for new blogs to follow and people to interact with so any communication is welcome. I’m not sure if I’ll get another post finished before we enter 2021, SO I wanna say that I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and that this shitshow of a year DOES come to an end at 11:59PM on the 31st because THOSE MEMES ABOUT IT TURNING DECEMBER THE 32ND ARE NOT FUNNY! Here’s to our second attempt at our first year of the roaring twenties (because this past year it feels like we skipped them and went straight to The Great Depression, the likely incoming recession denial is real) and to happier times and good health for everyone.

Lauren x

DISCLAIMER: Background in the first 2 images are mine, others are not. I found them on Pinterest so not sure of the artists but if you do know, drop me a message so I can credit them!

[hanasinbloom]

Hello all! I hope you guys are doing well.

Just wanted to pop in with a little life update.

Due to the quarantine, I’m currently out of a job and have no ongoing source of income. I still have bills that are overdue and, unfortunately, my bank account has been recently pushed into negative. Until I can get it back out of the red, it will continue to charge me an automatic overdraft fee every day.

I can’t take any more commissions at the moment, as I still have a list of people waiting, and I am continuing to make progress on those whilst balancing another project as well. But I do have a Kofi account and, if anyone is able, I would greatly appreciate the help. For those who don’t know how the site works, donating 1 coffee sends me $3 each. You can send however much you’d like to donate. Anything helps!

While I can’t offer much in terms of rewards for donations at the moment, I will draw a single character bust for anyone who donates at least $10 or more. You can write in the description of your donation what character you’d like, as well as your tumblr url so I know who to tag in the request! OCs are included! Please include a link to a reference in the description as well.

You can make a kofi donation >>> HERE

Even if you can’t send a donation, I would really appreciate if you reblog this post and spread it around.

Also, please only donate if you are financially able to. While we all need to help each other and look after one another, it’s important for you to take care of yourself and your own needs first and foremost. I’m sure this is a problem most of us are going through as we all deal with this worldwide pandemic and I’m sad to see so many people struggling to pay bills and meet their financial needs. But we will get through this! Ultimately, this struggle will pass, and we’ll all come out of it stronger than before.

Thank you guys for reading and stay safe out there! 💕

[jaxl-road]

The League of Extraordinary Rockstars, ch.4

Summary: LA is a hub for music and mutants, making it the perfect place for Motley Crue, Guns N’ Roses, and countless other mutant musicians to call home. But it’s not all easy, especially when it comes to finding a decent place to live. So what better solution than moving in together in the mansion of an immortal? Love, drama, and super powers. If nothing else, it’ll be interesting.

Chapter Warnings: Language, genderswap!Steven

AN: This is a collaboration between myself and @the–blackdahlia​! It combines elements from her fic “It’s So Easy (And Other Lies)” (specifically her genderswapped!Steven) and my super powered GnR series. It is completely AU and ignores timelines like Woah, but hopefully you’ll have as much fun reading it as we’re having writing it! Let us know what you think!

~~~~~~~~~

Stevie had gotten so used to yelling waking her up, that when she woke up and the room was silent, she was a little confused. But a smile soon spread on her face as she stretched and rolled over on her mattress. She had so many plans for the room. Paint, rug, furniture, an actual bed, and more. And they were going to get a bunch of that today, plus groceries. A wholesale store had just opened up a month ago, and they actually had the money to buy a membership. They had a busy day today.

And it was cloudy outside.

But as she stood to get dressed, she didn’t think much of it. Stevie never stopped absorbing sunlight- she simply couldn’t shut her mutation off- and especially being in southern California, she usually had an excess of light in her. It was the reason she was always glowing at least a little. If it was overcast for more than a few days it was certainly not a fun time, but ever since she met Duff she was able to simply ask him for some clear skies if it had been too long and she’d be good to go.

Yesterday had been sunny though, so she figured she could let nature do its thing for now. No biggie. Throwing on some jeans and her least dirty shirt, she wandered out into the hallway of her new home. Axl and Sebastian’s door was shut, but Duff’s was open and empty. Continuing into the living room, she heard a frantic voice.

“Dude, I’m telling you, it was right there!”

Turning the corner, she found Tommy waving his arms dramatically in front of an unconvinced looking Duff.

“Well, if you’re so sure, why didn’t you chase after it?”

“I tried! But it was just gone! It probably burrowed under the floorboards or something!”

“What did?” Stevie piped up, getting their attention.

Duff rolled his eyes, “Tommy is still going on about that “raccoon” from yesterday,” he explained, disbelief heavy in his voice.

“It’s true though!” Tommy defended himself, “I saw it again this morning!”

“Are you sure you’re not just, like, super hungover?” Stevie tried to reason. So far, Tommy was the only one to have seen the supposed critter, so she tried to find another explanation, “I mean, I’ve had some mornings where I think the fucking walls are moving, y’know?”

“No! It’s real, I swear!”

Stevie and Duff exchanged looks, even as Tommy continued to ramble. They nodded along politely, wandering into the kitchen when the Motley Crue drummer finally gave up. Throwing open a cabinet, Stevie snatched a bag of chips for her breakfast. Along with their take out, they had grabbed some snacks the night before. The mansion didn’t have a fridge, only an old school ice box that was sorely lacking in ice. Oh well. They’d have that taken care of by the end of the day, Stevie thought happily.

“So, Kelly and I are going shopping today,” She told them as she shoved chips into her mouth. “I thought we could split and have half of you guys clean while half went shopping?”

“You know I hate shopping,” Duff groaned. “I guess I’ll stay here and clean.”

“T, I think you better come with me,” Stevie told the other drummer.

“What? Why?” Tommy asked.

“Well, if you made a flamethrower to melt roaches, imagine what you’ll do when you see your supposed raccoon.”

“Is he still going on about that?” Mick asked, shuffling down the stairs, “Why the fuck isn’t there a coffee maker? I need my caffeine.”

“We’ll get one,” Stevie told him, “Don’t worry. It’s on the list.”

“The delivery guys aren’t gonna be happy having to bring all the things you want to buy to the house,” Nikki pointed out as he appeared as well, leaning against the counter, “We give Kelly shit about the “commute”, but we actually are a decent ways away from the strip.”

“Why are we still complaining about the commute?” Baz inquired, wandering into the kitchen with a still mostly-asleep Axl draped across his back.

“Oh, you know,” Stevie sighed dramatically, “We were just talking about how much trouble getting all the new furniture and stuff here will be. If only there was a big, strong mutant who could get things home for us,” she batted her eyelashes at the tall singer.

“Aw, dude you know I’m your guy!” Baz laughed heartily, earning him a mumbled scolding from the redhead on his back that he was quick to ignore, “It’ll probably take me a few trips, I still have trouble jumping large shit so I might have to take things one at a time, but otherwise it’s no problem!”

“Baz, I love you,” Stevie kissed his cheek.

“Back off, he’s mine,” Axl grumbled from where his face was still pressed into his back. Stevie smiled and shook her head.

“He dyes his hair black and we might have to fight for him,” Stevie told Axl. At that moment, Izzy made his way in and Stevie’s smile got bigger. “Iz!”

“God, how are you so cheerful so early in the morning?” He asked, rubbing his eyes.

“I’m just excited!” She told him, “And you’re going shopping with me and Kelly!”

“What?” Izzy asked. “Who decided that?”

“I did,” Stevie said proudly, “We have a lot to do to get this house in livable shape!” There was a chorus of groans. “I don’t want to hear it. Or I’ll kick everyone except Kelly out.”

The grumbling continued, but none of them put up any real fight. They quickly got the groups sorted out. Stevie, Kelly, Izzy, Tommy, Nikki, and Sebastian would be hitting the stores for the various supplies and furniture the house needed to be livable. Meanwhile, Vince, Mick, Slash, Duff, and Axl would be staying to clean the place and make it less of a health hazard.

Baz dropped Axl unceremoniously onto the beat up couch in the living room. “He’ll wake up once he realizes everyone is doing their cleaning “wrong”,” he assured them.

“Excuse me for having fucking standards,” the redhead mumbled into the dusty cushions, receiving one last kiss on his cheek before the groups split up. The shopping team got ready, Kelly deciding that they should deposit the money instead of paying with cash, so they headed out to the bank.

“Okay, so let’s start with the floor?” Duff suggested. Axl, who’s head had been resting on the couch, popped up suddenly.

“I think the fuck not!”

****

They split the money and each put it in their separate accounts. After fixing overdraft and bank fees, they were all good to go. Stevie was smiling still as she settled in Kelly’s car. She stared out the window as he drove towards the various furniture and home decor stores. Stevie had plans, and one of those plans included a new bed without a spring poking her back.

“You okay over there Glowstick?” Kelly asked. “You’re kinda quiet.”

“I’m good,” She smiled at him, “Just must need some more sleep, y'know?”

Shrugging, Kelly accepted her answer. He hadn’t slept great either, being in a house as old as his meant a lot of weird noises, not to mention they all still had shitty mattresses, so he was sure the blonde drummer would be fine soon enough.

Pulling up to Sears, Stevie clapped her hands excitedly while the poor boys shoved in the back seat of Kelly’s car practically fell out.

“Fuck, Sebastian why do you have so much leg??” Nikki complained, stretching as he stood on the sidewalk, “I thought Tommy was long…”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Izzy practically screeched, having ghosted out of the car the second the wheels had stopped, “All three of you are over six feet of dumbass! I almost slipped out on the freeway just to end my misery!”

“Aw, poor little guy,” Kelly tried to ruffle Izzy’s hair, though he wasn’t surprised when his hand fell right through.

Izzy glared, “You’re like, an inch taller than me!”

“Okay guys, stop posturing,” Stevie rolled her eyes, “This is supposed to be the fun part! We can get some kickass stuff to make the house the most rockin place in Hollywood!”

They all headed inside. Stevie immediately headed towards the furniture, but Nikki spotted the power tools and looked at Tommy.

“We’ll need a drill and stuff right?” He asked. “And, like, a screwdriver?”

“Shiny torture devices,” Tommy laughed. “Let’s go look.”

“You know if you don’t go with Stevie, she’ll pick your furniture out for you, right?” Izzy told them. They just shrugged. Kelly and Baz were distracted by the video game display, so Izzy sighed, and then realized something. He would be alone with Stevie until they got bored with their toys.

This was his chance.

Following after Stevie, he found the drummer giggling as she hopped onto different mattresses, grinning at the feel of a bed that wasn’t dragged out of a dumpster.

“Having fun?” Izzy smirked.

“Oh, lots,” Stevie replied. Looking over at him, her brows furrowed, suddenly glancing around, “Hey, where’d the other guys go?”

Izzy shrugged, “Baz and Kelly were looking at some game or something, and the terror twins were playing with power tools.”

Stevie huffed, “I swear, I’m going to get those boys bunk beds.”

“Knowing them they’d be thrilled.”

“Come try this mattress out with me!” Stevie told Izzy. He sat on the edge and she pulled him back to lay on it.

“Oh, this is nice,” Izzy mumbled. “I could get used to this.”

“Let’s rebel and take a nap at Sears,” Stevie laughed. Right then, a salesperson came up.

“Do you and your boyfriend like it?” She asked with a giggle. Stevie smiled.

“It’s great but we have a few more to try out,” She told her. Izzy noticed that she didn’t say “he’s not my boyfriend”.

“Well, if you need anything, I’ll be over there,” She told them before walking away. Stevie rolled onto her side.

“Wanna go try out another one?” She asked. “Or should we just order however many in this style?”

Looking into her eyes, Izzy felt his mind racing. He wanted to say “let's try all of them” or maybe “let’s lay here forever” or maybe “oh my God do you have any idea how much I love you?”

But when he opened his mouth, all that came was a choked, “This one seems good.”

“Well, okay then,” Stevie smiled and got up. “I’m gonna go look at some bedding now. I think they have those sets that have everything all in one. Do you wanna come with me?” She bit her lip slightly. She wanted to take the reins and ask Izzy or Duff out, but most of the people she talked to said that they should make the first move. So Stevie was left waiting for someone, who wasn’t Kelly, to flirt with her orsomething.

“Yeah, as long as I can have something in black,” Izzy smirked. Stevie headed over to the bedding, writing on a little notebook what the furniture they needed would be. There were shelves upon shelves of bedding and Stevie just stared at them. Her head was starting to hurt and she felt really tired.

“So, uh, see anything you like?” Stevie asked, gravitating to a purple set. Izzy watched her for a moment before finding his own set in black

“Here,” He told her, “You feeling okay?”

“I’m great. Just tired,” She told him, grinning. “Why don’t we pick out for everyone else?”

“Yeah, sure,” Izzy replied. His eyes almost immediately fell on what had to be child’s bedding, green with bright, cartoonish flowers all over it. Grinning mischievously, he pointed at the garish pattern.

“Oh, we’re definitely getting that one for Vince.”

~~~~~~~

“No, no, no!” Axl yelled, “You’re doing it wrong!”

“I’m just bagging up the trash! How am I doing it wrong?” Vince asked, glaring at the redhead.

“Well, for starters, you’re not in the bag,” Axl shot back. Duff groaned.

“Can you two be civil for like five minutes?” Duff asked.

“He started it!” Both yelled at the same time. Mick pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Where the hell is Slash?” He asked, “Why isn’t he here trying to help us?”

“Because he’s probably sleeping,” Duff rolled his eyes, “Or trying to find more snakes around the garden.”

“I swear, we need to put a bell on him,” Axl muttered.

“Whatever, I’m sure I’ll fucking trip over him soon enough,” Duff grumbled bitterly, sweeping a pile of debris into a small pan.

Given how large the house was, they were making good progress. They’d gotten rid of the cobwebs and layers of dust, and the decades old trash and bottles were cleared away.

"I see we've made progress even with all the screeching," Vince muttered.

"I'll show you screeching," Axl growled, "Baz isn't here and he's like 85% of my self control."

"Chill out," Mick stood between the frontmen, "We're lucky we got this place. Don't fuck it up."

"Guys! There's more buildings out here!" Slash called from outside.

"That's great but you're supposed to be helping us clean this one!" Duff told him.

“But we’re barely even seen the whole place!” Slash whined.

“You know we gotta have this done before Stevie gets home and cuts off all of our balls,” Vince told him.

“Yeah, I saw the way you were looking at Kelly,” Mick told Vince, “You might need them.” Slash glared slightly at Vince under his hair before he huffed and went to get a mop. Axl was about to say something when there was a noise at the front door.

“Hey guys! Let me in!” Baz called. Axl went to the door to find Baz with a cart that had three mattresses on it.

“What’s this?” Axl asked.

“Beds babe!” Baz gave him a kiss, “Oh, the cart? I just thought it would be handy. And it was just sitting outside of Sears.”

“You just stole a cart from Sears?” Mick asked, arms crossed.

“Well yeah. They’re good for it. They’re loaded,” Baz smirked as he brought in the mattresses. “Here’s the first three. I gotta get the rest of them.”

As the teleporter popped away for the second haul, Slash merely shrugged, “Hey, we’ve stolen worse.” He and Duff got to work dragging the mattresses into various bedrooms as Sebastian brought the rest of their haul. By the time he had brought all the mattresses and bedding, the Skid Row singer was panting, collapsing face down onto the mattresses still on the cart.

“You alive, man?” Vince questioned, poking his shoulder only to have his hand slapped away by Axl.

“Yeah, yeah, no, I’m good,” Baz mumbled, “Just… Just need a minute.”

As they waited for Sebastian to recover so they could move the rest of the mattresses, Duff tilted his head and squinted at the singer, a thought from earlier returning to him.

“Slash,” he asked, voice serious, “should I dye my hair black?”

“I swear to god, I will never escape this bullshit,” Slash sighed.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Duff asked.

“Nothing,” Slash grumbled, “God, I can’t wait to sleep on a brand new mattress.”

“Stevie’s getting bed frames delivered,” Baz mumbled, “Said it wouldn’t be fair for me to keep having to teleport everything.”

“Good call,” Axl nodded, draping himself casually across the other singer’s back, “This is a lot for one day.”

“She told me not to do all these but I was like, challenge accepted!” Baz laughed, “I’m starting to feel better. I wanna go to the grocery store. The one we’re going to is the one that gives out all the samples!”

“Man, he gets free samples while we’re stuck here cleaning?” Slash pouted.

“They’ll bring back food for all of us, you big baby,” Axl rolled his eyes, hopping to his feet as Sebastian stood, stretching his arms over his head.

“Alright, see you guys in a bit!” And with one last ‘pop’, he was gone again.

“God, he bounces back fast,” Vince announced. Axl smirked.

“You should see him at night,” Axl winked, “Now come on, let’s get these mattresses into the rooms and ready for the rest of the stuff!”

With only minimal complaining, the group got back to work setting up their new home.

~~~~~~~

Sebastian stumbled just slightly as he materialized in front of the wholesale store Kelly had said they’d be going to next. Sure enough, the group was out front waiting for him, having managed to beat him there while he was taking his break.

Grinning widely, he jogged over to the cluster of musicians, “Alright, everything’s back at the house! Now let’s get some grub, I’ve been looking forward to this part all day!”

“It’s just the grocery store,” Kelly shook his head. They headed inside, signing up for their membership cards, before starting to walk around the store. Stevie was doing fine, but by the third sample station, she stopped accepting it, and by the time they filled up the second cart with bulk goods, she was so tired she could’ve slept on one of the display models.

“Guys?” She asked, “Will someone walk out with me to the car please?”

“I got it! You guys keep going,” Tommy told them, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and heading back out through the store.

“What’s that about?” Kelly asked Nikki, who shrugged. Izzy came back from grabbing a big thing of paper towel, frowning when he saw Stevie gone.

“Where’d Stevie go?” he asked, throwing the paper towels into the cart.

“She went out to the car with Tommy,” Nikki explained.

“She’d been kind of off all day,” Kelly chimed in, “Maybe she’s sick or something.”

Izzy hummed, glancing towards the exit in concern, but following after the other two boys regardless. Maybe Stevie just needed to sit down.

Meanwhile, Stevie had thought the same thing, but sitting wasn’t helping at all. She felt drained, like she wanted to sleep for a week, and she had to lean heavily on Tommy, barely able to keep herself sitting upright.

“Hey, you okay?” Tommy asked as he held her up.

“Mmmm,” Was all Stevie answered. Tommy had climbed inside the back of the car with her in his arms. It was only in the shaded interior of the car that Tommy could see that she was glowing a pale green.

What the fuck?

“Stevie? What’s going on?” Tommy asked. He knew she would glow consistently, but it was usually more golden, or yellow, sometimes orange. But never green. She looked like a glow in the dark star that was fading out. But Stevie was already asleep, her head resting on his chest, and didn’t answer.

“Stevie?” He asked again, shaking her lightly. She murmured a little, but otherwise stayed quiet. Okay, Tommy was officially freaked out. His head darted around, as if he could find a solution within the beat up vehicle. He didn’t want to leave her, but he didn’t know how much longer the guys would be, and he was super fucking worried. Maneuvering himself slowly, he gently laid the other drummer down across the backseat, closing the door softly before sprinting back into the store in a gust of wind.

“I’m just saying, just cause we have money doesn’t mean everything needs to be name brand!” Kelly was arguing with Nikki, each holding a bag of chips that were nearly identical.

Izzy pinched the bridge of his nose, “I swear, if you two don’t get your shit together, I’m gonna-”

“Guyssomethingiswrongwithstevieshe’sgreenlikeliterallygreenIdon’tknowwhat’swrong!”

The three men were nearly blown back as Tommy skid to a stop in front of them, a frantic look on his face as he spit out what was probably supposed to be words, but instead just sounded like gibberish.

“Woah, babe, slow down,” Nikki frowned in concern, tossing the chips to the side as he put his hands on Tommy’s shoulders, “What’s wrong?”

“Stevie!” The speedster forced himself to speak at human speeds, “I don’t know what’s wrong, but she’s super out of it and she’s glowing, like, green!”

“Shit,” Izzy groaned, “Just hurry up and get some fucking chips!” Izzy hurried outside, leaving everyone confused. They hurried up their shopping as Izzy headed out to the car. Sure enough, she was laying in the backseat, glowing slightly green. Izzy opened the back door and gently pulled Stevie to him.

“I-Iz?” Stevie asked weakly before falling back asleep. Izzy held onto her. The one time he needed Duff and he wasn’t around. He glared at the overcast sky as if he could stare it into submission.

The driver’s door suddenly opened, Kelly sticking his head in and practically throwing bags of food into the front seat. He could hear the trunk opening as well.

“Alright dude,” Kelly asked seriously, “What’s going on?” He bit his lip anxiously as he saw the muted green glow of the Guns drummer.

“This happens when she doesn’t get enough sun,” Izzy explained, “It makes her really sick. It’s Hell for her,” he pet her hair softly as he spoke, “We need to get back to the house so Duff can clear the fucking clouds.”

“I’ll teleport and take some of this stuff with me,” Baz told them.

“I can run home,” Tommy shrugged.

“And leave me here? I’ll piggyback.” Nikki added.

“We’ll meet you there,” Kelly nodded and started the car, taking off. Baz grabbed the leftover things and teleported home while Nikki climbed on Tommy’s back.

“I deserve a backrub after this,” Tommy groaned.

“I’ll do that and more. Let’s just get home,” Nikki promised. Tommy smirked and took off.

In the backseat of the car, Izzy held onto Stevie, focusing on staying solid. This wasn’t the first time he had seen her sick like this, but it was still scary. There was always the “what if”. What if she didn’t stop glowing green? What if they’re someplace where they can’t get sun? What if…

Izzy shook his head and focused on Stevie.

There was no good in focusing on the what ifs- Stevie had always bounced back, and she would do so again this time. She was strong as Hell, and no weather would get her down for long. Without even thinking about it, he gave the drummer a soft kiss on her hair. She’d be fine.

In the front seat, Kelly furrowed his brow as he looked up at the long road leading up to their neighborhood before snorting loudly. Ahead of the car in the distance, he saw a few bolts of lightning before the clouds started retreating from the same spot, the sun slowly spreading as the sky cleared. Kelly shook his head.

“I swear, Duff should have been a theater kid.”

~~~~~~~~

"I'm back!" Baz announced as he teleported into the living room and dropped the bags, "Duff, man!"

"What?" Duff came down the stairs having dropped the last mattress off.

"We need you Mr. Wizard," Baz told him. "Our little Starshine is sun sick."

“What?!” Duff shrieked, a few flashes of lighting coming through the window, “How? It’s been sunny all week, this is the first overcast day in a fuckin while!” Even as he ranted though, his irises and pupils faded as his eyes slowly turned a clear, bright white, and the yard outside was soon bathed in sunshine, the clouds spiraling into a rapidly expanding circle of clear sky.

“I dunno man, that’s just what Izzy said,” Sebastian shrugged, glancing away. He always thought Duff’s eyes were kind of creepy when he did more intense weather manipulation, “She was like, this dull green color.”

Frowning, Duff hummed in concern, “Weird…” His white eyes narrowed slightly as he focused on clearing the clouds from as much of the city as he could. Just a few minutes later the car pulled up. Kelly started carrying food in as Izzy carried Stevie in.

"What happened?" Duff asked.

"Remember how excited she was yesterday and was glowing a shit ton?" Izzy pointed out, "This is the result."

“Fuck, I didn’t even think of that,” Duff looked at the sleeping blonde sadly, “Goddammit, girl, why you always gotta be so excited about everything.”

“Aw, poor Glowstick,” Vince cooed, “I feel bad for complaining about all the times she blinded me yesterday.”

“As you should,” Axl huffed, though he shared the worried gaze of the rest of the house.

“She’ll be fine, guys,” Slash reassured the non-Guns members, who had never witnessed this sort of malady with Stevie before, “She just needs to sleep it off and soak in some sun.”

"I'll take her to her room," Izzy told them, carrying her down the hall. When he looked behind him, the rest of the housemates were following. "Guys, she's fine. Chill out."

"I just, I've been around her a lot and never seen her like that…" Kelly admitted.

Izzy softened, nodding sympathetically, “Yeah, I know.” He let them continue to follow him without comment, the group crowded around the doorway as Izzy set Stevie down gently on the new mattress in the corner of her room. Sighing contentedly, the drummer murmured unintelligibly as she rolled over to spread out on the bed like a starfish, sleepily soaking in the sun shining through the large, numerous windows. It was hard to see in the bright room, but they liked to think she looked a little less green.

Tugging her boots off and tossing them aside, Izzy nodded at the crowd, shooing them away, “Alright guys, let’s go,” he said softly, “let’s let her rest.” Begrudgingly, they all shuffled back into the living room where piles of bedding and food still sat abandoned on the floor.

“Right, so,” Kelly shook his head to clear his thoughts, “The fridge is supposed to be delivered tomorrow, so we mostly got nonperishable shit.”

"Oh chips! Yes!" Vince called out, "You guys are the best."

"Who picked out the bedding?" Axl quizzed.

"Mainly Stevie but I helped," Izzy told them, "Why, got a problem with it?"

"I mean...there's pink stuff…" the frontman grumbled.

“Check it out, there’s also some black sheets too!” Sebastian pointed out.

“Hands off!” Izzy snapped, snatching the bundle of black fabric away, “That one’s mine!”

“Ooooh, so it’s a first come, first serve situation?” Sebastian questioned.

There were a few beats of silence as they all stared at the pile in front of them. Then, chaos erupted as they all leapt forward, elbowing, wrestling, and shouting as they all fought over the different patterns, designs, and colors.

Izzy shook his head in horror, clutching his plain bedding to his chest tighter as he backed away from the madness.

Eventually, two sets of sheets remained- a soft purple one (which Slash had reluctantly relinquished when Izzy told him it was Stevie’s), and a bright pink one with little stars printed across it.

"Look what the twins get," Kelly chuckled. Just then, Tommy walked in, dragging his feet in exhaustion, with Nikki beside him, "Oh, speak of the devils!"

"What's up?" Nikki asked.

"Here's your bedding!" Mick grinned.

"No. No way." Nikki shook his head, "No."

“Sorry, dudes,” Vince snickered, “You were just too slow.”

“I hate all of you,” Tommy whined, laying down directly on the floor, “You’re the worst roommates ever.”

“Suck it up, buttercup,” Mick smirked.

As Tommy and Nikki tried to bribe different people to switch sheets with them, Kelly finally got a chance to really look around him. The house still definitely needed work, what with all the loose floorboards and peeling wallpaper and such, but the lack of dust and grime actually did make a big difference.

“This place is sprucing up pretty nice,” Duff commented, clutching his polka dot bedding protectively as he stood next to Kelly, “Give it a couple weeks and the property value will probably skyrocket,” he grinned, elbowing the other bassist teasingly.

Kelly snorted, “Yeah, yeah. It’s definitely not as bad as I thought it’d be.”

“Wow, tone down the enthusiasm there, Nickels, you’re shining brighter than Stevie.”

“Shut up.”

Chuckling, Duff made his way back to his room to set up his things. While his stuff had been moved over the day before, he hadn’t taken the time to actually put the room together. He figured now was as good a time as any to put up some posters and get shit organized.

The hours passed steadily as the room came together. Books, records, and various pig themed knick knacks filled the tall bookcases lining the walls. His new bed was shoved into a corner by the lone window in the room and piled with both the new bed sheets as well as the blankets he had brought with him, and his bass was placed carefully on its stand. Before he knew it, the sun was setting and his stomach was growling angrily.

He reluctantly headed downstairs where everyone was digging through the food. Duff grabbed an apple and started to snack on it when he looked around.

“Stevie come out yet?” He asked.

“No. I think she’s still sleeping,” Slash told him. Duff nodded and grabbed some different foods and drinks and headed up towards Stevie’s bedroom. She was pretty much laying the same way she had been when Izzy dropped her off, although now she was cuddling a blanket someone had left for her. Duff couldn’t help but smile.

As much as he hated to wake her, food and water would help her feel better just as much as the rest would. Sitting next to the mattress, he shook her shoulder gently.

“Stevie,” he whispered, chuckling when her only response was a soft grumble as she buried her face into her pillow, “Stevie, come on, wake up. I brought you some food.” The grumbling continued, and Duff shook his head fondly. Grabbing a bag of Cheetos from the pile he had brought with him, he pulled the bag open and held it open by the drummer’s face.

“Come ooooon,” he said teasingly, “I got your favorite!”

As expected, the scent of the snack had Stevie blinking awake, turning towards Duff and blindly snatching the bag from him as he laughed.

“My favorite,” She mumbled, eating the Cheetos lazily.

“You’re going to turn into Chester if you keep eating those the way you are,” He chuckled. Stevie just shrugged.

“I’m not the super fast one in this house,” She told him. Duff laughed and went to stand up. “Where are you going?”

“Back downstairs so you can eat in peace?” He shrugged. “I got you a Sprite too, and some other snacks and-”

“Can...can you stay?” Stevie asked.

The request caught Duff off guard, and he felt his heart beat just a little faster. “Are you sure?” he asked, “I don’t want to disturb your rest.”

But Stevie shook her head, “No, I…” she trailed off, “I dunno. I’m feeling better but I just… don’t want to be alone right now.” She clutched the bag of Cheetos to her chest and burrowed down into her blankets, “Never mind, it’s stupid…”

“No, no, no!” Duff practically shouted, “You’re fine, Sunshine,” he carefully laid down next to her, self-consciousness causing him to leave a few inches of space between them.

But it only took a moment for Stevie to scoot over and press herself next to the bassist, resting her head on his shoulder, “Thanks, Duff.”

“Anytime,” he smiled, putting an arm around her to pull her just a little closer. Then, after a moment, he grinned, “You are going to have to share the snacks though.”

“Mmmmm, maybe,” She laughed. “I don’t know if I should though.”

“Why not?” Duff asked.

“Oh, I dunno,” She snuggled closer to him and his heart was racing as fast as Tommy running to the liquor store. God, he wanted to just kiss her so bad, he wanted to ask her out, he wanted to tell her how he had loved her for so long but he didn’t even know how to start. He ran his fingers through her hair, trying to talk himself into doing something. Anything. Was it punk rock for his hands to be this sweaty over a crush?

“Hey Duff,” Stevie bit her lip and looked up at him, “C-can I tell you something?”

“Of course!” Duff turned to look down at her, suddenly concerned, “You know you can tell me anything.”

“I, uh, I might kinda have a crush on someone. He’s tall, with blond hair, and he’s really sweet,” She looked down, suddenly shy.

Furrowing his brows, Duff mentally listed all of their friends, trying to think of who matched that description. It took him longer than he cared to admit to finally click on what she meant, his face flushing, “Wait… really?” He was afraid to get his hopes up. Maybe she was describing someone Duff just hadn’t met before. He was sure there were lots of tall blondes in LA. Oh God, what if she had run into his brother? He might die.

“Yeah,” She admitted, “I...Duff, I like you…” She smiled a little, waiting for rejection.

Duff didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t find the words to express how light he felt hearing her say that, the weight of all his stress and longing suddenly gone in a fraction of a second. He didn’t think any words existed to explain how happy and disbelieving and relieved and overjoyed he was. How could he possibly explain it?

So he settled for kissing her instead.

Stevie froze. Was she still asleep and dreaming? She felt Duff start to pull back, so she followed him, returning the kiss. Duff wrapped his arms around her and held her close as he kissed her. They both smiled into the kiss, eyes closed as they got lost in each other.

Meanwhile, Izzy decided to check on Stevie, having not seen her since carrying her to her room. Not wanting to wake her if she was still resting, he stuck his head through the door quietly to make sure she was alright.

But what he found was her and Duff in a liplock, and he felt his heart sink.

He pulled himself back into the hallway rapidly, staring at the door between him and the two blondes. It took him a minute to make his legs work, to carry him back to his room, ignoring any attempts made by his many roommates to talk to him along the way. When he was finally safely in the confines of his own room, he sat heavily on his bed.

He shouldn’t be upset, he thought to himself. Had he really thought he had a chance with her? He was the quiet, dark, brooding one, and she was sunshine and joy. Her and Duff made more sense.

It still hurt though. He laid back on his bed and stared up at the ceiling, letting his eyes drift shut.

Downstairs, Duff and Stevie slowly separated, both with smiles on their faces. Duff cupped her cheek, but he noticed that her eyes were heavy.

“Why don’t we lay down?” He suggested.

“That sounds great,” She yawned. They moved the snacks off her bed and Duff grabbed the blanket to cover them up. He wrapped his arms around Stevie, placing one last kiss on the crown of her head before they both drifted off to sleep.