#why does he CONSTANTLY cancel plans or switch to public

[tang3r1n]

ya girl’s sad tonight :)

[drabblesandsnippets]

Breathe

Hot Bucky Summer 2024 - Week 3

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Plus-size female character (unnamed)

Prompt: “Really? Here?!” | [Someone Else’s House | Public Bathroom | Mile High Club] @buckybarnesevents

Summary: (4k) During a wedding reception, Bucky and his fiancée sneak off to have some fun.

Warnings: 18+ Only. Established relationship. Fluff. Wedding talk? Vague alluding to Bucky’s trauma/past. Bucky’s a switch? Pet names (baby, doll, sweetheart). Oral (both receiving)/swallowing. Fingering.

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Bucky always looks good to her - whether he’s in jeans and a henley or nothing at all - but there’s something about seeing him dressed to the nines. The fitted tux, the styled hair, the neatly trimmed beard. She rarely gets to see him dressed up like this and she can’t keep her eyes off him, watching him from the across the room while he talks to their friends.

She’s still not entirely sure why they got roped into making an appearance at this wedding reception - none of them know the couple - but she’s not exactly questioning it at this specific moment, no matter how uncomfortable she feels in such a formal setting.

And while Bucky might feel just as out of place here as she does, it’s making her think about their own upcoming wedding. Their plans don’t include anything nearly as fancy as this black-tie event, but as she watches him readjust his cuffs, she’s starting to reconsider. 

She can’t help imagining all the things she’s going to let this man to do her on their wedding night and her inappropriate thoughts only intensify as her eyes drift from Bucky’s fingers to his mouth, watching him take a sip of his drink. Then the tip of his tongue licks the remaining drop of liquid off his lips and she’s flooded by images of their morning shower, heat immediately pooling between her thighs, making her wish it was time to go.

It’s been like this the past few weeks since Bucky proposed - even before that really, but they’ve been insatiable lately. Unable to keep their hands off each other, finding every excuse to cancel plans and stay home. It’s where they should be tonight, but they couldn’t get out of this. 

Just as a flush creeps up her chest, Bucky meets her gaze, the grin on his face making her feel like she can read her mind. With a quick glance at their friends, he takes his leave, his eyes not leaving hers again as makes his way back to their table, the look on his face not making it easy for her to think pure thoughts. 

They’ve only been apart for a couple minutes, but Bucky never needs an excuse to return to her, the magnetic pull to be as close to her as possible constantly driving him. And, as much as he wants to take her home right now, he can’t deny how much he’s enjoyed getting to show her off tonight. 

She may not feel like it, but she belongs here, the numerous eyes on her throughout the evening proving she fits right in. Her satin gown showing off her endless curves, the fabric dipping low enough to show just a hint of cleavage. 

The angle at which Bucky approaches the table gives him more than just a hint though, her seated position causing her breasts to almost spill out of her dress, immediately drawing his attention. And then she smiles that smile at him. The one that reminds him how lucky he is. 

Since the moment he met her, she’s brought nothing but sunshine and beauty to his life. Even during times like this - when he’s so out of his element, having to pretend to celebrate the nuptials of two people he doesn’t care about - she makes it all bearable.

His tux might feel too restricting, the bow tie secured around his neck making him feel like he can’t draw a deep breath, but it’s okay as long as he’s with her. As long as he can continue to look at her, feel her, breathe her in, he’s sure he can make it through the evening.

Bucky ignores the urge to reach up to pull at what essentially feels like a leash around his neck, and keeps his focus on his beautiful fiancee, once again overcome with the familiar need to be as close to her as possible. With his flirtatious smile growing, he sets his glass down on the table and offers out his hand to ask her, “May I have this dance?”

She’s never been much for dancing, but she can never resist Bucky, especially when he’s like this. Tonight’s been hard for him, but he still goes out of his way to be romantic, to try to make the evening about them, wanting her to feel like she belongs here. 

They’ve barely stepped foot on the dance floor before they’re in each others arms, both of them visibly relaxing the moment their bodies are touching. They allow themselves to get lost in the intimate moment, ignoring any responsibility they feel to socialize with the guests. They’d much rather socialize with each other anyway. 

After a tender kiss to her forehead, Bucky murmurs, “Thank you for coming with me tonight,” She didn’t have to come and he’s planning to show her how grateful he is when they get home tonight.

Her eyelashes flutter as she soaks in his affection and she gives him a warm smile, blaming the romantic atmosphere for her sappy reply of, “I’m always happy to be your plus one.”

The sound of his soft laughter makes her heart skip a beat, and her own laughter joins his when he tells her, “Your signing up for forever sweetheart, I’m going to hold you to that.”

“You should,” she grins, giving him a soft kiss, pulling away before he can deepen it. With a deliberate wiggle of her left ring finger, she continues, “There’s no getting rid of me now.”

The playfulness of Bucky’s smile fades slightly and his eyes darken, the look on his face causing her breath to quicken. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” He closes the distance this time, his hand moving to the back of her neck to keep her against him as he kisses her, his tongue seeking entrance to taste her.

Despite being surrounded by hundreds of guests, most of which they don’t know, she has no desire to pull away and she grants him access, her lips parting at the first touch of his tongue He has a way of making her feel like they’re the only two people that exist, and soon she doesn’t care about anything except the feel of him against her, her skin growing warmer as Bucky’s hand slides lower, ghosting over the curve of her ass.

He’s too aware of their surroundings though, and as much as he’s enjoying showing his gorgeous fiancée off, he wants nothing more than to take her home and do unspeakable things to her. The thought has him kissing a trail along her jaw to whisper in her ear, “Surely it’s almost time to go.”

With her hands holding onto his shoulders, she gives him a reluctant shake of her head and lets out a slow breath, “We still have an hour.” They can’t leave until the newlyweds do - Bucky and a few of the other Avengers having agreed to be here to send the couple off in flourish with the other guests.

It’s like a bucket of water is thrown on him, his happy thoughts of their future fading into the frustrating memory that they’re here on business. That somehow the new couple’s donation to the city gained them a right to him.

He didn’t have to do this, but he had no reason to say no, and everyone else had already agreed, given how generous the couple will continue to be to numerous charities. All it’s costing Bucky is his time. And a little bit of his sanity.

The suffocating feeling starts to return and his right hand moves off her hip to fidget with his bow tie, a soft grimace appearing on his face as if it’s physically hurting him. There’s a reason he avoids wearing ties, and the fact that it wasn’t optional tonight makes it even worse.

“Baby,” she says softly, interrupting his thoughts with a gentle touch of her hand to stop him from making the tie any more crooked than it already is. He meets her eyes and just a simple look communicates so much, a reminder of her how hard tonight has been for him. She whispers her own reminder to him, gently telling him, “breathe,” as she adjusts the bow.

Bucky knows she means well, and admittedly, just her presence makes it easier for him to simply exist, but he’s not sure he’s going to make it another hour. “Kinda hard to do that with this damn thing around my neck,” he tells her with a slight shake of his head, but his tone remains gentle, a hint of vulnerability seeping out.

There’s no point in suggesting they cut out early - Bucky’s a man of his word and will stay until the end - so instead, with a slight tilt of her head, she offers, “Why don’t we take a walk?” They can kill some time before he needs to join everyone else for their last interaction of the night.  “I’m sure you already know the layout of this place.” 

Bucky laughs softly, appreciating her attempt to keep things light, and nods his head. “Course I do. You think I’m gonna take my woman somewhere without knowing all the exits and places to hide?” There’s not a single part of this manor that’s not etched into his mind. 

With just a bit of encouragement from her to use that to his advantage, he takes her hand in his and leads her away from the dancefloor, ignoring the curious looks from their friends. Bucky could be leading her anywhere, and she’d blindly follow, her trust in him unyielding. He’s not sure he’ll ever feel deserving of it, but he’ll spend the rest of his life trying to prove that he does. 

It doesn’t take him long to find their destination, Bucky leading her down a deserted hallway, passing just a couple of doors before he locates the one he’s looking for. As expected, the room is unlocked and the moment they’re in the unused dressing suite, his hand immediately reaches for his bow tie, not even giving her a chance to offer to help him.

After closing and locking the door behind them, she turns around to find him pulling at the offending silk around his collar, his growl of frustration meeting her ears as he inevitably makes the knot tighter. With a gentle touch of her hand, she stills his movements, and softly tells him, “Let me.”

He gives her an appreciative smile and uses the opportunity to touch her again, his hands seeking out her warmth through her dress. He feels compelled to minimize this, or offer up an explanation, but words aren’t needed here. She understands his aversion to ties - his aversion to anything that feels like a restraint. 

Well, other than the occasional moments Bucky allows her to be in control of his body. He never thought it’d be something he’d enjoy, but he’s been seeking out more of those moments with her lately. Damn, he needs to get her home.

With just a gentle pull of the ends of his bow tie, the first knot is released and Bucky gives her a smile that never fails to make her weak in the knees. The corner of her mouth ticks up into a grin of her own, her gaze drifting from his eyes, to his mouth, then back down to the bow-tie to finish helping him.

After hooking her finger underneath the remaining knot a quick tug leaves Bucky feeling like he can finally draw a deep breath again. He still can’t help but reach up to undo the top two buttons of his shirt, not missing how the quick work of his fingers makes her thoughts obviously stray to the same place his keeps drifting to.

He can’t help but lean close, a knowing grin on his face, as he asks, “Whatcha thinkin’ about, doll?” 

Even with her skin flushing, she has no problem admitting exactly what’s going through her mind right now. Her body presses closer to his, her fingers holding onto the lapels of his tux, and she tells him, “How good your fingers felt inside me this morning.”

Her admission is expected, but it still makes him groan and he pulls her into a kiss, his hand moving to her throat, his possessive touch never failing to make her heart flutter. The feel of her pulse against his fingers has him deepening the kiss, the taste of her not helping to lessen Bucky’s desire for her, nor is it helping him catch his breath.

His need for her outweighs any silly need for air in his lungs though, and for a moment, he refuses to pull away, even as he has to resist the urge to take this further. To undress her and touch her everywhere, to listen to her moan for him. Despite the thought of wanting her naked here, in this ridiculously expensive, lavish room, he tells himself they shouldn’t.

She’s having similar thoughts, but she definitely thinks they should. In fact, she thinks it’s a great way to spend the next few minutes. She wants nothing more than to help Bucky get his mind off of everything that’s been bothering him tonight.

The breathless moan she makes when she pulls away has him immediately reconsidering, but his old-fashioned sensibilities are telling him he can’t let her do this. That he should wait until they’re in the safety of their own home. “Sweetheart,” he murmurs, his voice giving away how much it pains him to remind her, “the party.” 

“We have time,” she whispers back, her lashes fluttering at the tender caress of his thumb across her throat. “I just want to make you feel good.” 

Her warm breath against his lips, the promise of more, makes him dizzy with need, but he’s still struggling to shed this last bit of hesitation. He’s not worried about anyone interrupting them, he just needs to be sure she’s truly okay with this. Because as adventurous as their sex life is, this is still a first for them.

She can sense his hesitation, and she doesn’t want to push him if this isn’t something he wants, but she can practically hear the thoughts running through his mind, and she knows how to quiet them. With a quick flick of her tongue to wet her lips, she asks him, “It’s hot to imagine, isn’t it? Me on my knees for you right here, with hundreds of people just down the hall.”

Bucky’s breath catches at her words, his body ablaze with desire, but he quickly lets out a laugh as she reminds him again to breathe. He loves these moments with her, how intense and passionate they can get while never losing their ability to have fun with each other. It has all his reservations quickly leaving him, his body welcoming her hand moving between them to seek out his erection.

Since doing his best to shed his past of the Winter Soldier, Bucky’s become more comfortable with letting her take charge, and right now the need for her to take charge is overwhelming. All he can think about as she quickly unbuttons his pants is how she’s never steered him wrong, and with just a few steps backwards, she’s guiding him to sit on one of the oversized armchairs.

A slight lift of his hips has her working his pants down far enough to pull his cock free and she eagerly wraps her hand around him, settling between his spread thighs ready to worship him. As much she wants to take her time, this moment doesn’t allow for it, and she doesn’t want to give him a second to rethink his decision to allow her to take care of him. 

There’s no going back now. Bucky can’t imagine being anywhere else, and he can’t take his eyes off of her. She’s so breathtaking. Even when she brings her fingers to her mouth to gather saliva, all he can think about is how much she belongs here, surrounded by luxury and elegance. The sudden promising image of her on their wedding day has his cock twitching in her hand and it takes everything in him to keep his hands where they are, gripping the arms of the chair.

He wants to touch her, run his fingers through her hair, but she spent so long getting ready, just to keep him company tonight, and he refuses to risk messing up her hair or makeup. He continues watching her, letting her set the pace as she finally takes him into her mouth, the sudden wet heat surrounding him causing him to let out a breathless grunt of pleasure. “Fuck. I love you.”

She hums happily, glancing up to meet his gaze, the look on his face encouraging her to already take him deeper. She loves sucking his cock, the way he moans for her, the taste of him, the feel of him sliding into her throat. She’ll never get enough of it, and it’s not long before she speeds up her pace, desperate to feel him lose control.

Bucky’s lost in the pleasure, his hips occasionally lifting to meet her mouth, the knowledge of how much this is turning her on making it that much harder to focus. “God,” he breathes, his hands gripping the armchair harder, fingers digging into the upholstery. “Doll… Feel so good… Please…”

He can feel the vibrations of her moans each time his cock slides along her tongue and down her throat, and now he can smell her. It makes him want to taste her, to fuck her, to make her come with him. Just as he opens his mouth to tell her, the entire length of him is engulfed, her nose brushing against the soft curls at the base of his cock.

“Shit,” he gasps, his thighs tensing and his hand shoots out to grip her shoulder, the obscene noises of her throat gagging around his cock causing his balls to tighten. It’s more than enough to make him come, but he’s not ready yet. He wants more from her, and with a needy moan, he begs her to touch herself.

Without hesitation, her hand slides under the satin bunched around her knees, and she spreads her thighs wider as she slips the damp fabric of her panties aside, desperate to please him. The first pass of her fingers over her slick pussy makes her moan against him and both their hips start to move at the same time, Bucky fucking her mouth as she thrusts against her own hand.

He nearly loses it when she meets his gaze again, her lashes wet with tears, her mouth slick with saliva. He manages to hold back though, needing to watch her as she plays with herself, seeing the exact moment she fills herself with her fingers.

Her back arches and she nearly gags around his cock again, but she grips his cock with her left hand, stroking him in time with her mouth as she fucks herself, the heel of her hand pressed against her clit. She’s not even trying to make herself come, more focused on his pleasure, but she can feel the pressure building, her wetness coating her fingers.

Bucky’s senses are consumed by her, but it’s not enough, he wants to drown in her, to know nothing but the feel and smell and taste of her. “Please,” he says, his hand sliding along her shoulder, fingers caressing her skin. “Need… fuck… give me your fingers. Need to taste you.” 

She almost comes just from that alone, the walls of her pussy gripping her fingers, her wetness soaking her palm, but she’s eager to give him what he wants. The instant her hand moves from her underneath her dress, he’s grabbing her wrist, guiding her fingers to his hungry mouth.

With a loud groan, Bucky closes his lips close around her slick digits, the taste of her exploding on his tongue, causing his balls to tighten and pleasure to shoot down his spine. The slight tightening of his grip on her shoulder is the only warning he can give her as the tension builds to a breaking point.

He gasps and moans around her fingers, his tongue licking up every drop of her, the first wave hitting him with such intensity that his hips lift involuntarily. He watches her take all of him, her hand wrapped around his shaft, stroking him as he comes down her throat, the force of his orgasm nearly causing him to collapse.

She swallows every drop, her body buzzing with pleasure as she sucks him dry, not a care in the world that she didn’t get to come with him. She refuses to let him go, prolonging his pleasure, until he can’t take anymore and his body finally starts to relax,  her fingers slipping from his mouth.

Bucky doesn’t even give her a chance to catch her breath before he’s pulling her up, careful not to mess up her dress as he meets her in a kiss, the combined taste of them on their tongues making them both moan. There’s not a chance he’s letting her leave this with room without getting to taste more of her.

He casually pulls his pants back over his hips, happily listening to her explain that this was all about him. And, the moment she’s finished insisting she only wanted to help him relax, he’s just as happy to reject her premise, telling her, “Making you come on my mouth will definitely relax me.”

The laugh she gives him tells him everything he needs to know and it’s his turn to take the lead, guiding her to the armchair he was just occupying. Before he has her sit, he reaches under the slit in her dress to take hold of her panties, not wasting any time to slide them down her legs, kneeling in front of her in the process.

She’s not sure how much time they have left, but she can’t imagine it’s going to take her very long. Not with the taste of him still in her mouth, and the way he’s looking up at her right now. With minimal encouragement, she settles back in the chair, careful not to mess up her hair, grinning as Bucky takes the same amount of care with her dress.

After lifting the soft material to her waist, and guiding her legs back, he takes a moment to appreciate the view of her on display, ready for the taking. Later tonight, when he’s fucking her in their bed, he plans to tell her again and again how pretty she looked tonight, but the words won’t come right now. His mouth only wants to be doing one thing, and it’s not talking.

With one last glance up at her, her hands already gripping the arms of the chair in preparation, he closes the distance, the smell of her immediately overwhelming his senses. She barely hears his soft groan of pleasure, but it’s hard to miss the way he deeply inhales her scent, his hands immediately coming up to keep her spread open for him.

At Bucky’s instructions, she forces herself to stay still, his playful reminder for her to breathe the only reason she’s taking any air into her lungs at all. She watches as he takes his time, the flat of his tongue licking her from her dripping entrance to her swollen clit, the contact making her legs shake and her eyes roll back.

She’s so sensitive, just a few swipes of his tongue building her towards the edge, but he refuses to rush this, taking his time to the savor the taste of her, fucking her slowly with his tongue. And whenever she starts to move or forgets to stop breathing, he’s right there reminding her what he needs her to do. “Relax. Breathe.” 

He’s not going to let her get flushed and sweaty, not when he knows how much harder it’ll make the rest of the evening for her. That’s why he keeps her in place, the cool metal of his vibranium thumb pressed against her clit making her slick walls pulsate around his tongue, the delicious taste of her making him hard yet again.

She keeps her head lifted, even when her eyes flutter close, her body on fire as she takes slow, deep breaths. It’s becoming not enough and too much all at once, the familiar tingle signaling how close she is, but without being able to chase her pleasure, she can’t help but beg for more.

Bucky’s more than happy to oblige and licks back up to her clit, greedily closing his lips over it as he slips two fingers inside of her, his vibranium arm quick to hold her place. She reaches out, almost grabbing his head, but thinks better of it at the last second, not wanting to mess up his hair, her hands instead gipping his arm, her fingers soon interlocking with his as she takes in lungfuls of air.

It only takes a few strokes of his fingers for her to fall, the deep breathing making the orgasm even more intense, and with his lips suctioned around her clit, his tongue swirling around the swollen bud, her hand flies up to cover her own mouth, barely muffling her loud cries of pleasure as she comes for him.

Bucky’s fingers and mouth follow her body as each wave of pleasure washes over her, her thighs threatening to close around his head, but he welcomes the feeling, relishing the way she comes apart for him, her arousal soaking his hand and beard. 

He doesn’t stop until she grows too sensitive, easing his fingers out of her before giving her one last lick, able to feel the pulse of her aftershocks on his tongue. Careful not to touch her dress with his arousal-slicked fingers, he helps her sit up and kisses her softly, her body still trembling as she slowly comes back down.

Once it’s clear she can finally breathe again, and her heart’s not about to burst out of her chest, Bucky gives her a cheeky grin, telling her, “Now I’m ready to get back to the party.” 

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Hot Bucky Summer Masterlist

Main Masterlist

[s-brant]

Cherry Bowl (3/8)

(gif: @kiekiecarrera) (PART TWO) (PART FOUR) (SERIES MASTERLIST)

Summary: When Kie cancels their plans together, Y/N asks JJ on a date to the Cherry Bowl Drive-In. Unsure of how to navigate his first ever date, JJ seeks out advice. Unfortunately, the night doesn’t go as planned, and both parties are left shaken by miscommunication.

Word Count: 10.6k

Warnings: Smut, public sex/exhibitionism, sexual choking, angst, depictions of mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, and implied/referenced abuse.

A/N: Welcome back to Tokens! Slight trouble in paradise is brewing for these two lovers, so buckle up and read because it’s gonna be a rollercoster for a little while after what happens in this chapter. I hope you all like it, and if you did, feedback is very appreciated. Have fun!

"I'm just saying that oatmeal raisin is superior to chocolate chip, why is that such an egregious crime, Kie?"

The lunch room is filled to the brim with students going to town on questionably cooked frozen foods, soggy tater tots, and sugary drinks from the vending machines despite the Obama-era posters on the walls advocating for healthier school lunches that never seemed to make their way to Kildare County High. The extent of their healthy lunches extended to a serving of overcooked canned green beans served with the worst slice of doughy pizza known to human kind, so it was sort of contradictory.

Y/N sits across the table from Pope and JJ, the latter of which being the one who launched into a full-fledged debate with Kiara about which type of cookie was better.

The clear cling wrap sits, unfolded, on the table with one of her stickers neatly placed on the back of it. As consolation for his epic loss yesterday at the beach, she paid an extra .75 cents to get him it when she arrived first to their shared lunch period—one of only two class periods they have together, the other being gym. He was still in line when she peeled a surfboard sticker off of her sheet and placed it at the center of the wrapped up cookie as if to remind him of her triumph over him in the waves.

"Thanks, hot stuff," he said, voice somewhat quieter despite the fact that hardly anyone was in the cafeteria with them. Then his smile dropped into an deadpan expression as soon as he saw her choice of sticker and looked back up at her. "You're never gonna let me live that one down, are you?"

"Never in a million years. I'll be gloating about it until I'm elderly."

"That's my girl."

The sound of the constant chatter surrounding them from at least two hundred other people drowns out the memories of yesterday that threaten to haunt her when she watches him debate with Kie. The mere recollection of their night in the back of the van has her reaching to pull the collar of her cropped tee up to assure that the hickeys remain hidden on instinct, and he catches the action out of the corner of his eye. It has him fighting a smile.

Kie quips, "Maybe on another planet, but, here, I think we can all agree chocolate chip is better, right Y/N?"

Y/N's eyes widen around a forkful of mushy "green beans" at the sound of her name being said bringing her from the depths of her memories.

Usually, she's quick to jump in and give her two cents on whatever stupid back and forth they're all having, but her mind was elsewhere. Unbeknownst to Kie and Pope, she was mentally reliving every second of getting fucked in the van last night, so her attention to detail when it comes to the Chocolate Chip vs Oatmeal Raisin case isn't all too sharp.

"Uhhh," she stops for a second, looking at the half eaten chocolate chip cookie in Kie's hand, "If I say chocolate chip is better, can I get a piece of it?"

Kie's face lights up at her words, and she's already pulling off a generous chunk of the baked good to hand off to her. The sound of a certain someone whose lap Y/N's legs are outstretched onto from beneath the table scoffing distracts her from the first bite.

"I know you prefer oatmeal raisin, you traitor," JJ says.

Their brunette friend's brows scrunch.

"Why is she a traitor?"

They try to keep from making any faces or giving anything away, but Y/N has to stifle the sound of her choking on her mouthful of cookie at the question. You'd think one of them came out and asked if they were dating or something with how she reacts, and she feels JJ squeeze her ankle in a non-verbal way of telling her to hold it together. It was her idea in the first place, yet he's a lot smoother with keeping it under the radar.

Under it all, the aspect of keeping it a secret does unnerve him to a degree. He doesn't think he'd be brave enough to communicate it, especially not when their relationship remains undefined, but the darker side of his mind wonders...

He shrugs, saying, "Cause we were friends first. Duh. Other than John B, I've known her the longest."

None of them stop to acknowledge the identical aches in their hearts at the mentioning of his name. They skip right over it like it never happened. After the funeral a few days ago, they've filled their quota on mushy-gushy sad talk for the next week and a half.

The real reason is something far more complicated than him having a claim staked on her loyalty through having the longest friendship. It's something tied up in days of slowly getting pulled into one another's worlds like the tug of gravity itself, in how he has to refrain from slipping his arm around her waist in the hallway or kissing her goodbye after a sleepover at the Chateau. But until she gives him the go-ahead, he won't let it slip to anyone.

Pope speaks up from beside him, "You literally met her twenty minutes before we did."

"Still counts. Technically, I did meet her first, so her betraying Team Oatmeal Raisin is enough to be tried for treason in Pogue Court."

"Pogue Court isn't a thing."

He crosses his arms after he pops the rest of the cookie into his mouth.

"It is now. You can be tried for treason for breaking the rules. Rule number one is that all Pogues have to admit oatmeal raisin is superior."

He's about to ball up the cling wrap to throw away later when the surfboard sticker catches his attention again. It's the same color as his board, which he'd like to think is a result of her being an evil mastermind that went out to get this sticker sheet for the sole purpose of teasing him, but he's the one who got her the sheet as a gift for her birthday, so he knows it was pure coincidence.

Last second, he peels the sticker away from the cling wrap and looks down to place it over the top of her yellow converse that were once a vibrant, paler color when Big John got them for her, but have since turned into an ugly mustard/dirt-dusted color they heckle her over.

"What are the other rules?" Y/N asks.

One of the hands holding onto where her feet are casually planted in his lap, something that they've done long enough that their friends won't see it as anything odd, slides down to caress the stretch of skin beneath the frayed hem of her dark jeans. Something she didn't know about him before whatever it is they have together started was that he constantly needs to be touching her. She can't say she doesn't love it though.

Pope answers, "The oatmeal raisin rule is not official"—a pointed glance at JJ—"But I'd assume the rest of the rules of Pogue Court would be no lying and no macking."

"So, basically you two break almost every rule except the oatmeal raisin one, and I lie," JJ says and turns to look at her, "How does it feel to be better than everyone, Y/N?"

"Pretty good, not gonna lie."

He keeps caressing little circles and tracing up and down her skin beneath the flared out pant leg of her jeans while he swipes his phone off of the table top without attracting the attention of their friends, who continue on to a new topic. She isn't too focused on what it is. She only picks up that it has something to do with a class they're in that's more advanced that hers, so she promptly checks out of the conversation.

Ever since John B died, she hasn't been performing too well in school. She tries, truly tries, but her mind outright refuses to absorb any of the information. When she reads her assigned reading, she hovers over the same paragraphs over and over until she shuts the book in a huff and hides it in her backpack again. Losing someone you love has a surprising amount of side effects.

Her phone buzzing in her hand brings her away from the impending cloud of doom that often accompanies any thoughts of John B, and when she taps in her passcode, her brother's birthday, a message bubble appears with a banner displaying JJ's contact name.

JJ (Derogatory) ur a good liar. prob could've fooled me if i weren't the one macking on u

Their eyes meet for a second across the table, then he watches her thumbs move to type a response.

Kief Princess Little do they know I break every rule now that I've switched sides on the cookie debate. Kinda impressive ngl.

JJ (Derogatory) triple threat, baby

JJ (Derogatory) thanks for the cookie btw

She smiles to herself, so wrapped up in their own world that she doesn't notice everyone in the room starting to pack up their stuff in anticipation of the bell that is due to ring any second now.

Kief Princess Had to repay you for last night somehow ;)

When she glances up to see his reaction, she watches his chest rise with a particularly large inhale, and he chews on the inside of his lip in thought.

JJ (Derogatory) strategically bringing up last night so i'm turned on in physics? ur an evil mastermind

Kief Princess I try.

Kief Princess Apparently whooping your sorry ass at surfing isn't the only thing I'm good at.

She hears him scoff.

JJ (Derogatory) first of all, ouch. second, u barely beat me

Kief Princess I'm happy to challenge you to a rematch. I have plans with Kie tonight, so I can't till this weekend. All it'll prove is that I am the rightful winner, but we knew that already.

JJ (Derogatory) what r the stakes this time

Kief Princess No sexual favors. If you beat me (fat chance) I'll formally rejoin team oatmeal raisin.

JJ (Derogatory) :( sex makes it more fun but i still accept those conditions

JJ (Derogatory) team oatmeal raisin needs u, even if ur a traitor

Kief Princess Why bet sexual favors if you're just gonna fuck me after anyway?

JJ (Derogatory) good point

The sound of the bell ringing echoes through the cafeteria, and they both pop their heads up from their phone screens to see everyone, including Pope and Kie, already packed up and raising from their seats to scurry off in the direction of their next classes. Meanwhile, their stuff is all bestrewn across the table, particularly JJ's belongings.

The sight of Kie walking away makes Y/N ask after her, "We're still on for tonight, right?

She stops with Pope's hand interwoven in hers. The look on her face when she turns would make you think she got caught doing something she wasn't meant to. Something like forgetting about the plans they made last week to watch Fear Street together. The Cherry Bowl Drive-In is premiering the first two movies as a double feature for the horror movie buffs of Kildare, so they decided to get tickets. Kiara shares a fondness of horror movies with her. Since gory movies make the boys squirm, though JJ pretends they don't, it's their own thing.

"Actually, Pope and I were gonna go to the beach. I'm sorry."

JJ knows she's more upset about it than she lets on, but Y/N simply gives the pair a smile that doesn't reach the eyes.

The sound of JJ behind her makes them laugh on their way out, diffusing the minor tension lingering in the air from the awkward encounter, "Use protection!"

After their friends offer them a goodbye, they gather their stuff quite leisurely, not really caring about being late.

It's something they've talked about before here or there: her feelings surrounding Kiara and Pope's sudden relationship. It's not as if she harbors any ill feelings for them, she doesn't, but the ripple effects of their pairing on the group, and more importantly the girls' own friendship, couldn't be clearer from her perspective. Between the missed hangouts, forgotten plans, and the convenient way she never seems to have time to hang out with her and JJ unless Pope is there too, it's been building up for a month now.

What makes it sting the most is how close her and Kie used to be. They didn't hit it off immediately the way she and JJ did as children until her thirteenth birthday when no one she invited showed up to the party Big John helped her set up in the yard of the Chateau.

She was the one who rallied the boys together to walk to ask their school friends from the year above to come hang out for an hour or two, promising a slice of the wonky-looking but delicious strawberry cake her and John B spent the morning crafting together. She can remember the sound of their high-pitched laughs and the cloud of flour that hung in the kitchen when they high-fived over the finished product like it was yesterday. In her heart, it was yesterday.

That night was when she fell in love with her friends, and that was when she first knew Kiara was her best friend. They wove friendship bracelets on each other that night and wore them for years until they withered away. No one had ever done something like that for her before. Not even JJ.

"You okay?"

Feeling his hand on her arm, slipping down to take her hand for a moment in the seclusion of the empty cafeteria, makes her glance up at him with a distinct sorrow washed over her features.

You know what? Screw this. Why should she be torn up over Kie and let it ruin her excitement for the double feature tonight? There's no way in hell she's letting her best friend ditching her for her boyfriend get in the way of her plans.

"Do you wanna go on a date tonight?" she asks him abruptly, then adds, "To the Cherry Bowl with me instead of Kie?"

The question sparks a pause in his mind, a halt of hesitation in which he worries about her avoiding having to answer what he asked, but he attempts to play it cool and not fuss over her outwardly. There have been times where being treated like that has made her feel suffocated, so he doesn't want to risk it. When she's ready, she'll talk about it, and if she takes too long and buries her feelings, then he'll intervene. For now, he tries to keep his face neutral despite the frown tempting his lips at her disappointment.

JJ looks around once more before throwing his arm around her shoulder to walk her out.

"You bet your ass I do."

What is a person supposed to act like on their first date that's not actually a date cause everything between them is the same, but kinda is a date because they called it one? If you ever find out, please find JJ and tell him because he has no clue.

Pope wasn't too much help in the Instagram group chat he made for it seeing as his and Kie's relationship is too fresh, John B isn't even alive, so he's out of service for advice unless there's Ouija Board he can borrow, and, thankfully, Kiara was his savior.

Their phones began blowing up as soon as he reached his class after lunch period ended. He couldn't under any circumstances let it be known that this mystery girl he had a date with was their friend, but thankfully Y/N already had the alibi of going to the Drive-In alone. All he had to do was make up a fake date scenario and get basic advice.

danknugstickiestickies added kiara-c and popeheyward to the groupchat

danknugstickiestickies named the group HELP ME

danknugstickiestickies i have a date with this chick i met on the beach when i was out with y/n last week. i need ur advice

His phone screen lit up with the notification that both of his friends were typing, signified with the three dot symbol bouncing in the bottom left corner as he thought it through. They couldn't possibly figure it out, right? They'd been careful, he'd been respectful of her wishes, and they'd been too busy together to notice anything new with them. He figured it would work. It was a risk, sure, but it was worth it to him. He didn't want to fuck this up with her.

Knowing her, she probably wouldn’t even treat it differently than any of their other hang outs. It's not like they haven't been romantic or sexual with each other. They've done everything but go out on an actual date, so why was he nervous?

kiara-c ummmm

popeheyward Yeah, I'm gonna need you to ELABORATE!!

kiara-c did hell freeze over? since when does jj maybank go out on dates??

danknugstickiestickies renamed the group hell froze over

kiara-c very funny, I'm laughing so hard 😐

popeheyward Do we know her?

danknugstickiestickies don't think u do. she moved here last week and hasn't enrolled in school yet. her name's steph

popeheyward What about Y/N though?

kiara-c ^^

JJ's chest muscles tightened with the question prompting a rush of anxiety that made his breathing feel slightly harder. He glanced up at his Physics teacher, who was essentially dozing off behind his desk with his hand in a bag of chips and an educational video on the projector as an excuse to not teach, and looked back down at his phone without the added stress of possibly getting his phone confiscated.

Pope's message might as well have been a sucker punch. Forget butterflies, he set a wasp’s nest loose inside of his stomach to tie it into knots and flip it every which way. His neglected textbook served as a prop for his phone to lean on as he set it down to think.

Did they know? As far as he was aware, they were getting away with it. No evidence, concrete or circumstantial, was there to prove it. At least the stress of the situation killed any chance of him being turned on by her reminder of last night in their messages. This shit was boner repellant of the highest degree.

He played stupid. Better to let them volunteer whatever information they had before he went in saying anything incriminating that they didn't already know. If anything would sour the experience of their first date, it would be him accidentally making their strange in-between relationship public behind her back.

danknugstickiestickies ?? what do u mean

Three dots bounced in the bottom left corner of his slightly cracked phone screen.

popeheyward ...

kiara-c I mean, you don't see it?

danknugstickiestickies see what

popeheyward I guess we were wrong, but all of us always thought you two had some feelings going on.

"You don't say?" JJ murmured sarcastically to himself under his breath. "Never crossed my mind, Pope."

danknugstickiestickies bro that's jb's little sister

kiara-c so?

danknugstickiestickies forbidden fruit? making john b roll over in his grave? do those ring a bell or am i speaking in tongues

He was already a proficient liar in real life, but, fuck, it was easy in text messages. There's no chance at deciphering facial expression or tone, just a plain message with no room to budge. Thank God he didn't do this in person with them. He could've survived, but it wouldn't have been as quick and painless as the group chat was.

kiara-c jeez, sorry

Pope didn't voice it, but he noticed something.

He looked up from his phone and stared off at the wall in thought in his AP European History class. It piqued his interest that JJ simply said she was off limits, forbidden fruit as he put it, but did not outright deny having feelings for her. In fact, he didn't even address the question. He made excuses for why he shouldn't have feelings for her, but he never said he didn't have feelings for her.

Kie did not notice. Not because she wasn't smart enough to either, but because she was too busy hiding her phone behind her backpack to think too deeply about it. Her teacher was one of those teachers that would flip shit if they saw a cell phone turned off and faced down on the desk, let alone being used by a student during a lesson.

In his classroom across the hallway, JJ bounced his leg up and down beneath his desk in an absentminded urge to release the built up energy the anxiety produced in an over abundance.

popeheyward Our bad then. Even John B thought y'all were sus lmao.

Since when was that a known fact? Could he tell? Did he talk to Pope about him and Y/N before he died? Either way, it wasn't the time to pry about it.

kiara-c yeah you guys honestly could've fooled me if you wanted to

danknugstickiestickies well thank u, glad ur invested in our friendship but

danknugstickiestickies please help, i have no fucking clue how to act on a date and this girl is too cool for me to screw this up

That was when they finally dropped the interrogation session and started offering up tips. The best ones came from Kie, which made sense to him since women are more likely to know what other women like than two dudes who share one collective brain cell and never had real relationships.

Rule One: Be ready to pick her up five minutes early.

He wasn't ready to pick her up five minutes early. His bike broke down by the time he made it halfway down his street, so he had to push it back up the road and into the yard before setting off on foot to reach the Chateau quickly enough. And by quickly enough, it means he got there five minutes late, not early.

Rule Two: Compliment her after you get in the car.

She tossed him the keys to the Twinkie from across the hood, not giving him the chance to open the door for her, and it wasn't until they were setting off down the road that he remembered the next piece of advice he was given.

Side-eyeing her in his peripheral vision, he tried to find something to compliment her on specifically rather than the general compliments about her being pretty that she never fully believes when he says them. He was intending to say something about the skirt she had on, but when he chanced a glance over at her, she caught him and asked—

"What is it?"

Sent into panic mode, JJ blurted out instead, "I like your shoes."

He could've bashed his face against the steering wheel twenty times right then and there at the utter absence of reaction on her part for the next few uncomfortable seconds. It wasn't that it was a bad compliment. She appreciates any compliments at all...but her shoes were hidden from his view. Not to mention, they were the dirty, mustard yellow converse that the Pogues bash on a daily basis.

She laughed, lifting her leg to expose the sneaker on her right foot, and asked, "These? Dude, you roast me for these all the time. You and John B said they look like Big Bird shit on them."

The skin on the apples of his cheeks scorched hot with embarrassment, and he was never so glad that the overhead lights in the van were burnt out until that moment. He would've died on the spot if she saw him blush like that, face flushed pinker than sunburn. All he could do to save himself was murmur something about the color growing on him and keep driving in the direction of the theater with his hands white-knuckling the steering wheel he fantasized about banging his face into.

Rule Three: Insist on picking up the check.

In this case, it meant insist on buying the popcorn and drinks, and he miraculously managed to drop his wallet somewhere along the way when he ran over to the Chateau, so when he stepped up to the makeshift concession stand with her standing at his side, he felt around for his wallet in his jeans to no avail.

His thoughts echoed back to him, You gotta be fucking kidding me. Seriously? Is this actually happening right now?

"JJ, it's honestly fine," she said softly as he leaned over to search back of the Twinkie for the wallet. "We can look for it on your street right now if you want. It has your ID and stuff, you don't want a stranger to have that. We don't need to stay—"

It took all of his control to not shout it in reaction when he said, "No way. You've been waiting for this, and Kie ditched you, so I ain't ditching you too. We're staying."

His wallet could go kick rocks.

He came too far to be dragged down by the old leathery piece of shit anyway. Would he go out and search for it tirelessly the second the date ended? Hell yeah, that fucker had twenty dollars and his debit card in it, but he couldn't bear the thought of abandoning her or ruining her anticipated movie night by taking her out to search the streets with their phone flashlights for a wallet they might not find. He'd wait till the movies ended, take her home, then haul ass around the Cut searching for it after.

Thankfully, he found a couple bucks crumbled up in his front pocket while she scavenged for coins in the glove compartment, and they came up with enough to buy a water bottle and small popcorn to share together.

Rule Four: Don't have sex on the first date.

And it may sound easy enough to not act like a complete Neanderthal for the length of two movies, but the girl makes it pretty damn difficult if he's to say so himself.

That's what led him here, laying in the back of the sideways-parked Twinkie in the farthest corner of the outdoor theater with her practically on top of him. In any other instance, he wouldn't be opposed in the slightest, but with the cursed fourth rule in mind, he isn't too thrilled with the feeling of her hand rubbing up and down his thigh.

It isn't even meant to be sexual. They're constantly touching one another this way. She'll even slip her hands up under his shirt just to feel the warmth of his skin or when he asks her if she can get an itch on a part of his back he can't reach, but for some reason his brain is short circuiting right now.

The thing is, when Kie and Pope said he shouldn't do it on the first date, they meant it for his and Steph's made up circumstances, not his and Y/N's full-blown relationship without labels. When you've had sex with someone as many times as they have with each other, the hesitancy on the "first date" is nonexistent. It doesn't matter. But JJ, trying to follow the advice given to him to the letter for the sake of being the date she deserves, doesn't think about it that way.

It shouldn't be this nerve-wracking. They've been best friends since they were children, they've been flirting since they found out what basic attraction was in the first place, and they've been forming this relationship ever since John B died. Why can't he relax? Why is this so different compared to how easy it felt between them yesterday on the beach or today at lunch?

Rule Five: Be yourself.

It takes him another few moments of laying here with her before he realizes quite abruptly what went wrong in a quick flash of a thought that brings the fifth rule back to him. The problem wasn't the bike, or the weird compliment about her Big Bird sneakers, or the lost wallet.

The problem is him. The problem is that he's trying way too hard to make this something it isn't. The part about them that he adores so dearly is how they never have to try when they're together. With any other girl or guy, they'd have to fake something or act a certain way, yet when they're together, they can simply exist and everything is runs smoothly. That's not to say they don't disagree or bump heads, they do, but short of those outlier moments, it's easier than anything else they do in life.

His eyes flicker away from the screen for the first time since the movie began, which, by the way, is gruesome enough at times that he had to divert his eyes to prevent himself from seeing it happen. They land on where she lays, completely content with the night in spite of its mishaps, with her head propped up on the pillows they brought from the Chateau.

He wonders if she can tell he's acting differently. Surely she must notice. She's the type of person that typically never misses a thing, perfect for the gold hunt they went on in the summer with picking up the clues and helping her brother unravel the mystery, so maybe she noticed how flustered this date has him. Does it bother her? Does he bother her?

With a confirming glance back up at the movie to see nothing important happening, he can't fight the urge to speak anymore.

"Can I tell you something?"

His voice appearing through the darkness of the shut off van after spending the past half hour in complete silence makes her jolt at first before realizing who it was. Though she loves horror movies, she can't claim to not be affected by them. The night she falls asleep after watching one, she often finds herself compelled to turn a light on and keep her feet from dangling off the edge of the bed. It's worth the fear, though.

When she turns to look at JJ, there's a warm smile on her face. She's cuddled into his side with a hand placed casually atop his thigh, caressing with no purpose or intent, and her movement halts when the light from the movie on the projector allows her to see the expression on his face.

Anxiety has become an increasingly significant presence in his life with the recent events in mind; John B and Sarah, the four-hundred million dollars they lost out on, and dodging his father whenever he sneaks home to switch out the backpack of clothes and personal belongings he keeps at the Routledge house.

It manifests itself in jittery nerves, stomach pains, shortness of breath, and, at worst, panic attacks striking either at random or in response to a specific trigger. It's one of the few things he still tries to hide from her, and she tries not to push him too hard with opening up about it.

She abandons the movie for the time being and rolls onto her side to face him, upper body propped up on her elbow as she examines his face with downturned features.

"Of course," she says.

The words left unsaid are, "You can tell me anything. Whenever you need someone to listen, or to talk to about shit, you can tell me." He's heard her say it enough that he doesn't need to hear it now to know it's true.

There's a pause, then—

"I feel like I fucked this entire date up," he starts to ramble and cuts her off before she can think about saying what she wants to, "and I know it's okay to you. You have way too high of a tolerance for my bullshit, and I've been trying so hard to make this perfect, but all that did was screw it up."

She's left quiet for a second, taking it all in.

Maybe if he hadn't been so anxious about it, he would've realized what was wrong with his bike when he rode it home from school, or he would've noticed his wallet fall out of his pocket. The point is, he wishes he hadn't let the label attached to this freak him out so much. He isn't sure why it does, but it does.

But she doesn't do what he expects. She isn't drowning him in reassurances and, "It's okay's" because she knows he doesn't care for them much. When he, the most stubborn person she knows, apologizes for something he did, he doesn't want it to turn into the person accepting the apology coddling him.

Y/N sighs.

"Is that why you've been acting so different all night? I scared you with the whole ‘date’ thing, didn't I? It doesn't have to be a date if you don't want it to be."

What she doesn't know is that he wants it to be a date. He wants it to be a date so badly, he risked Pope and Kie finding them out for the sake of getting some proper advice on it, and now he's caught up in the same game of tug and war in his mind that always occurs when he wants to tell her the truth about his feelings for her.

Part of him doesn't understand why he doesn't outright say it. With every other girl he once showed interest in, he had no issues in letting them know he wanted them, but this is different. This isn't simply wanting someone, he thinks he's fallen for her. But whenever he says he's gonna grow a pair and tell her after all this time, he chokes. Involuntarily, he's reminded of his parents. Other than his friends saying it platonically, the only people to tell him they loved him were them, and with how they treated him, he sure as hell doesn't think that is love.

From his dad's brutal physical abuse to his mom's abandonment, he's too timid to tell her he loves her because of what could happen if she loves him back. Everyone else that has said that to him has either hurt him, died like John B did, or abandoned him.

He won't let that happen with him and Y/N. What they have, albeit undefined and codependent, is safe. It's the only thing he has left. Maybe it isn't right, and maybe he should open up about it to communicate the correct way, but somewhere in the misshapen logic of his mind, he correlates love to abandonment. And he doesn't want that to happen with her.

There are two sides of him at battle inside his mind. One side, the side that wants to do right by their relationship and actually communicate his feelings for once in his life, wants him to tell her everything. The other side, the side that responds based on the history of his past, wants him to hide it all.

"Will you be mad at me if we don't call it a date?" he asks.

She shakes her head.

The heavy sensation inside of JJ's chest nears a point of vitriolic violence against him as he starts to realize what he's doing to her, clearly letting her down, but he can't stop himself. Like a passive witness watching himself from outside of his body, the instantaneous trauma response to the sudden confrontation of his true feelings for her guides his actions without his permission. It shuts down any protest he has.

The sound of the movie fills the gap of silence between them the entire time. It’s a variety of bloodcurdling screams and disgusting sounds that would've made him gag if he weren't as distracted.

They can make out each other's faces through the darkness, but barely. It takes a flash of bright color from the film or a nearby car's lights turning on for them to fully see one another. Without the other knowing, they both put masks of calm and collected coolness on their faces despite the feelings raging beneath the surface—more so on his part than hers.

"Maybe," he says, pausing, "we should just keep things the way they've been."

As soon as the words leave his mouth, a soul-crushing amount of disappointment weighs her down. She said it was fine if he doesn't want it to be a date—and it is, she would never hold it against him—but that doesn't mean it can't hurt her. Things have been going so well, she almost thought...If tonight went well, she was thinking about no longer keeping it a secret, but if he said he wants things to stay the same, then maybe he isn't as ready for it as she is?

Meanwhile, JJ is on another page entirely.

She's embarrassed of being with you, a familiar voice in the back of his head croons. She's gonna leave just like everyone else does. If she doesn't even wanna tell your friends, why should you pretend you're dating?

The internal comments are the type that cause him to physically grimace when he's alone. Intrusive thoughts are just that: intrusive.

Sneaking into the guarded sanctuary of a person's mind, they set out to convince them the opposite of their reality. The only thing is, where most people's minds are guarded sanctuaries with walls of impregnable defense, his mind is the equivalent of a fortress blown to smithereens. The castle walls lay in rubble, the guards no where to be seen, and the path for these thoughts to slip past and straight to the vulnerability of his mind is left wide open.

In the privacy of his room, these thoughts attack him the most at night when he tries to fall asleep—when things get too quiet. With nobody around, when they get this bad there's nothing he can do except break down. It builds from the mere anxiety of attempting to force the thoughts away to full-blown panic attack mode. The more he resists them, the more aggressive they become. He'll gasp for air with tears streaming down his face, hitting his head with the heel of his hand as if that'd do something to stop his relentless mind.

But he can't afford to react in front of her, so the extent of his reaction is a subtle twitch of his face that she cannot see in the momentary darkness before the movie switches to another scene a second later. In a way, it does make the thoughts go away to have her here preventing him from spiraling alone. Having to focus on her keeps his mind away for moments at a time until the thoughts ease their grip on him.

When she hasn't answered for a while, he asks, terrified that he did something bad, "Are we good?"

The question seems to wake her up, snapping her out of the lonely direction her thoughts went into when he "rejected" her. It takes every bit of common sense she has left to force herself to understand that this doesn't mean he doesn't want her. He does, and not calling this a date doesn't mean they won't be together in the way they have been since John B's death, but she isn't perfect. She gets as unsure and insecure as he does.

As if the cloud of doom was lifted off of her, she makes her face lighten where she lays on her side next to him. Seeing this expression makes his chest feel less heavy, and he could let out a sigh of relief at the realization that he didn't break her heart and stomp on it. He should've known. Y/N is the sweetest person he knows, so she never would've flipped shit over him not wanting to label this as a date. That's not how she is.

And he's partly right. It isn't how she is. She would never hold it against him if he didn't want something further with her since she got herself into this position by pursuing him with his reputation with girls in mind, but she can't ignore it. Whether she wants it to or not, it had its affect on her as soon as he said it.

She leans in to kiss him, their lips meeting in the middle with the faint taste of popcorn salt mingling at the soft peck.

When she pulls away, she brushes the hair back from his face and says, "Don't worry. Nothing can change how I feel about you."

She has no clue what it feels like to hear that from her.

Despite the turmoil they unknowingly share beneath the surface due to this conversation, he could cry hearing her say it. It doesn't feel real to him that she feels the same way he does about her, because nothing could change how he feels about her either. That’s why he manages to work up the courage to repeat it back to her, and, for now, this is the closest he's physically capable of coming to telling her the truth.

"Ditto," he says.

It isn't what she wanted, but it's close enough, and if she dwells on this any longer, she might start getting too emotional and let the urge to tear up become too strong. Why does she have to be this sensitive? It's no secret that it's remarkably easy to make her cry, but this is insane to her. When all of this began with him, she didn't give a shit about him not wanting a label. She understood him, and she understood that he doesn't do this kind of thing, so why has it changed? Why doesn't she want to keep it a secret anymore? Why does she want this to be a date when she knows he doesn't want it to be?

Pulled by an invisible string back to him to silence her mind, she leans in to kiss him again with a hand cupping the back of his neck to guide him the rest of the way to her.

It shouldn't be laced with any sexual intention. She should be kissing him simply because she wants to, and, in a way, she is. Their kisses and touches are never lacking the motivation that is their underlying connection and mutual feelings for one another, but this is not the same. As he kisses her back with as much confidence and passion as always, she is reeling from the conversation that reminded her too much of a breakup.

It takes another minute of this for the kiss to heat up, their breathing becoming shallower in the moments they part to inhale, and she is undeniably the one instigating when she officially crosses the line between casual and sexual by crawling onto his lap. It's not hard for him to pick up on when their innocent moments take a turn. She's easy to read in that regard, and this has happened a multitude of times with them, so the shift of a mini make out session turning into something more is nothing out of the ordinary for them.

If he knew how shaken she is on the inside, he'd never want this. And the same would go for her if she knew what he was thinking before this. Neither of them wants to admit what they're feeling.

With her legs seated on either side of his hips, she kisses him like it's the last time she'll ever get the opportunity to. Her hands wander wherever they can, pulling at his shirt and feeling him up as his hands guide her hips to move against his in a steady grinding that she has no issue partaking in. It's an eagerness he hasn't seen from her in weeks. She's never un-excited when it comes to being physical with him either, but this is another level. The last time a girl was all over him like this, it was desperate touron at a party a few months ago.

In the span of time it takes her to glance over her shoulder to see if anyone could see them and reach to pull her skirt up until it bunches around her hips—no one can see them, by the way, since they got here late and were forced to cram the van into the back corner of the lot with no street lights illuminating the path—his brows raise at her presumptuous behavior. Not that he's one to complain, however, seeing as he's typically the one doing what she is.

Their next kiss clashes their teeth hard enough to make them wince, but he loves it. It makes him smirk into her parted mouth, alive with both the feeling her reassurance provided and the fuzzy-headed high that often finds him when they're together in this way. Incomparable to past flings or the high related to any drugs, she is the peak of everything to him. It's no contest.

His chest stutters against hers with a bout of amused laughter, asking within a brief pause in what feels like the most JJ thing he's said this awkward night, "Two for two in the Twinkie. What's gotten into you?"

Y/N's hand dips between where their bodies move together to unclasp the closed buckle of his belt in one smooth motion that has it falling apart with a clinking noise.

Her features are set with a look that tells him she means business. Whatever it is that sparked this, he wonders how the fuck to make it happen again another time. She's begged for it before, but never taken control so dominantly, and he can't deny what the role reversal does to him. The evidence is obvious in the distinct hardness she feels pressing up against the hand undoing his jeans.

"I was hoping it'd be you," she says, voice breathless and airy from the constant contact in a way that makes it ten times hotter for him.

If there were any chance of him not being in the mood prior to this, which wasn't the case anyway, it's gone now. He never wants to hear her say she doesn't deliberately try to tease him ever again.

He doesn't need to be told twice.

JJ surges forward to capture her mouth with his, this time with no intention of pulling away to breathe or speak again. No, he'll let himself get lightheaded and dizzy if it means he can stay with her for as long as possible.

With the circumstances of it all, them being visible to someone if they happened to pass by the open door of the van, they move at a pace quicker than usual. She's immediately helping him shimmy his jeans and underwear far enough down his hips to free his dick from the confines of his clothes, making him sigh out a breath of relief when her hand brushes against him in the process.

There's no opportunity to slow down, it has exploded into a full-throttle speed race that neither of them can halt.

His hand blindly flies out beside him to grope the floor of the van for the set of keys he tossed carelessly to the side once the movie started, eyes shut in the midst of the hot, messy kiss they share. His fingers find the fabric of one of the blankets they brought in case they got cold, then drifts again and lands on her Big Bird sneakers until he feels the sharp metal of her keys meet his calloused palm.

After the events of last summer, she bought a switch blade to keep on her key ring alongside the keys to the van, HMS Pogue, and Chateau. She may not like violence or weapons, seeing as she was a skeptic of JJ keeping the gun alongside her friends, but she saw it necessary. Between Rafe, Topper, and Kelce, how could she leave the safety of her and her friends up to chance knowing what some of the kooks did to them not long ago? What happened to Pope on the golf course alone was enough to make her skin crawl.

Right now, though, the knife flips out from the pressure of his thumb pushing the button to release it. He holds it out away from her at first to assure it doesn't nick her in the process, then uses his other hand to tug the side of her panties that hugs her hip far out enough to press the sharp side of the blade onto the inside of it.

She can hardly believe what she's watching as JJ cuts the delicate maroon underthings from her body as if he were doing something so normal, like it's something he's done before. Her forehead is pressed against his, her mouth parted both in shock and in a need to pant for oxygen, and she watches the knife ruin her favorite panties. The stitches come apart with a satisfying ripping noise that can hardly be heard over the sound of people reacting to the movie in the background.

Other customers of the Cherry Bowl Drive-In are too glued to the screen as a beloved character is chased down, reacting in shouts when she's seized by the killer and shoved onto the table of an industrial bread slicer, so they remain wholly unnoticed.

The lace, now ripped in half, dangles on the tip of the knife when he lifts it away from her, tosses it aside, and presses the button once more to retract the blade. It clatters to the floor, but is in no way forgotten with them resuming in a desperation to keep going until they both satisfy the need clawing at them from the inside. But her sense of need is different from his, and even with the fresh memory of him with the switch blade in mind, she's still somewhere else the whole time.

Her mind is faraway, muted through layers of sadness, anger, and disappointment as he reaches between them to line himself up to her entrance. The sensation of him running his cock, hard and messy with a few drops of precome, through her dripping pussy to coat it in her slick arousal is enough to make her moan pathetically. Yet when he's about to guide himself inside of her, she stops him.

"Wait, wait, wait," she breathes out rapidly, heart pounding so hard she can feel herself pulsating between her thighs, "Condom."

They were so antsy to get to it, they almost forgot.

"Fuck," he curses under his breath, and his eyes flicker from where they were trained between their bodies to glance back and forth around the van before it hits him. "I lost my wallet..."

But right when he thinks their public rendezvous in the back of the Drive-In is over due to his unfortunate mistake, she shakes her head and slips away from her perch astride his lap to crawl over to her bag.

She fumbles with the old tote bag and plunges her arm in to sift through the hodge podge of things that are purely Y/N in nature—stickers, glitter pens, a half-eaten bag of candy, etc—for the square foil package she decided to toss in before she left just in case. She usually doesn't keep them on her because he never fails to have one, but, thankfully, she had the random instinct to bring it tonight.

The only thing to bring her out of her cloudy, malevolent storm of feelings when she settles back onto his lap with the condom wrapper ripped open for him is him saying, "So you planned this, huh?" with his mouth tipped in a familiar self-satisfied grin.

She didn't plan it. In fact, she threw herself at him the second she sensed him withdrawing from her and can't stop herself despite the fact that she constantly feels two seconds away from letting a tear slip down her cheek. If that counts as "planning it", then sure.

"Maybe so," she answers, cool, calm, and collected—the antithesis of the truth.

They usually don't lie to each other.

They're thrown right back into it without any other hiccups once he rolls the condom on, and he takes in a shaky breath at her hand wrapping around him to align their bodies up. Before she can do anything, though, he takes chance to swipe the blanket he found a moment ago and wrap it around her back to keep her covered in case they get caught.

Y/N sinks down onto his cock with her lip caught between her teeth to stifle the sound that threatens to escape. JJ, on the other hand, doesn't bother concealing the sound of the groan he makes at the sensation of having her wrapped around him like this. The tension in her entire body from the anticipation and the looming threat of being seen by someone has her squeezing him so tightly, he can't help but be a little louder than he should.

Her soft palm slaps over his mouth with enough pressure to force his groan to quiet itself, and she watches his pretty blue eyes widen in reaction to the dominant action. Who is this girl and what has she done with his sweet, submissive Y/N? Don't get him wrong, he is very turned on by it, but it's unlike her to take the lead this way. He can't figure it out.

"What's wrong, angel?" she asks in a whisper into his ear, her hand over his mouth and her hips starting to slowly rock against him, "Watch the movie."

Once the words leave her mouth, she drops her hand, just in case he wants to stop and can't say anything because she had his mouth covered, and JJ is pretty sure he's died and gone to heaven.

He doesn't watch the movie, not at all, because he's too busy watching her. For someone losing their mind internally, she does not let it show, nor does she let it distract her from what's happening. If anything, the distraction in this situation is the sex, not what's going on inside of her head.

There's a moment of adjustment and going as slowly and gently as possible while waiting for the dull pressure of feeling him inside of her to fade away, but, for the most part, she doesn't waste any time. As soon as she feels comfortable enough with the ache between her thighs giving way to a spark of pleasure when she grinds her clit down on his pubic bone, she starts to ride him at a better pace than the initial slow movements of her hips.

She raises herself up and takes him again inch by inch, enjoying the sense of fullness she gets from having to fit him in spite of the slight discomfort at first, and she could swear that he'll leave bruises in the shape of his handprints with how tightly he clutches her hips. It's all he can do to prevent himself from moaning or saying something, ever the vocal lover she's come to know.

Unless his mouth is preoccupied like it was on the beach yesterday afternoon, JJ is usually impossible to shut up, especially in this context. With him always whispering dirty things to her, whether it be praises, pet names, or plans on what he wants to do to her, she has come to find it breathtakingly hot. He could likely get away with saying something if he wanted to, but he isn't sure he wants to risk it. If he opens his mouth to spew something filthy to her, he won't trust himself not to make a louder, different kind of noise that won't fit in the with background audio the other moviegoers are listening to.

The wet sound of their bodies colliding that fills the space of the van is drowned out by the loud and violent sequence occurring on the screen far ahead of them, and hearing it makes her bounce herself on him a little harder. She's fueled on by it all, and, strangely, what happened before she practically pounced on him is the main contributor.

Similarly to the nature of his intrusive thoughts, the harder she resists the memory of how it felt when he told her he didn't want this to be a date, the more forceful it is in its return. Her eyes trail down to watch where they connect with her forehead pressed to his, then she's thrown back into the feeling of helpless disappointment and insecurity. His head tips back against the window with his bottom lip dropped open and his brows furrowed just enough to create a crease on his forehead, and she's bombarded with the look of relief on his face when he realized he didn't have to be tied down to her with a label.

It makes her want to get rougher, harder, and she doesn't even care if it'll make her sore later on. She presses herself down so far every time she slides down on his cock, her teeth draw blood on her lip with how hard she must bite it to remain quiet. The pain of her hipbones rubbing against his doesn't even matter to either of them at this point. They're both too lost in the pleasure that has begun to take control of them to care about something as minuscule as that, or the burn in her thighs from the repetitive physical strain.

She grabs his wrist and brings his hand between them, flattening hers overtop of it and pressing down on the base of her abdomen in the midst of the increasingly feverish thrusts.

"Feel you here," she murmurs to him through a quiet moan, hoping he can hear it over the movie, and pushes down on his hand for emphasis. And if the way he reacts by cursing under his breath tells her anything, it's that he picked up on it. "JJ..."

He reaches out to grab her by the throat with his free hand and tug her forward to kiss him, as if something inside of him snapped in response to her doing that. The motions of her jolting up and down throws the already messy and uncoordinated kiss off-kilter, but they don't mind. It has them separating every time she lifts up, producing this heady little head rush from from them breathing in each other's air without actually letting their mouths meet in the middle.

Though they're trying their hardest not to alert anyone outside of what's happening, it didn't occur to him until now, when his eyes catch John B's old bandana swinging back and forth where it's secured around the rear view mirror.

They're worried about moaning while the entire fucking Twinkie is rocking with their movements. Well, at least it makes good use of the corny sticker he gifted John B last year as a gag gift. He tried to peel it off after JJ snuck it onto the side window to no avail. So, now Y/N is stuck with a sticker on her car reading, "If the van's a-rockin', come on in, we like orgies," rather than the more common phrase.

It almost makes him start laughing, and he prays no one takes that shit seriously, 'cause he is never intent on sharing this breathtaking girl. Ever.

Y/N isn't anywhere near laughing like he is, in fact, she's finding it difficult to keep herself together. She feels her eyes sting with the promise of tears, and she's never felt so pathetic before. Is she seriously about to cry during sex? Is she really that girl that is so ill-equipped to handle rejection, she can't get through it without tears?

She won't cry. Perhaps if he sees how glossy her eyes have become in a rare moment of good lighting, she can blame it on the hand around her throat putting pressure on the sides of her neck.

The worst part about her being near to crying is the timing of it.

The emotion of what she feels mentally mixes with the swirling, building sensation she feels in the pit of her stomach that tells her she's close to going over the edge, and it's so overwhelming. Was she imagining that their friendship had changed? More importantly, is this all she'll ever be to him? Sex is the only thing she's sure of with him, it's the only thing that doesn't require deeper emotions, and when the ground beneath their fragile relationship felt shaky...

He can feel her starting to unravel, and he knows that he'll come before she does if he doesn't do anything now, so he decides to take control.

JJ pulls the hand he had resting on her abdomen away as though he were burned by it, wrapping his arm around her waist to steady her body against his and using the hand around her neck for leverage to thrust up into her, effectively reducing her to a teary-eyed, moaning mess atop him. They both stopped caring about making noise the second he began to fuck her like this.

She cries out in ecstasy at the sudden change in pace and depth that has him hitting all the right places. Every time he thrusts up into her, just as rough as she wished for, the tip of his cock nudges into that perfect spot inside of her that makes her incapable of silencing her moans. This time, it's JJ that puts his hand over her mouth, letting the one he had around her neck move away to keep her from alerting everyone around them of what's happening.

There's nothing she can do to stop her climax as it barrels through her in its initial sweeping wave of bliss to contrast the venomous doubts in her mind. She's never felt such conflicting, yet powerful feelings before—the intensity of the physical pleasure that makes her whine into the palm of his hand, then the part of her mind replaying every word he said in their conversation before this.

Her body is rigid and tense through it all, squeezing down around his cock with the involuntary spasms of her orgasm, and he can't help himself anymore. All it takes are a few more frantic thrusts for him to bury himself inside of her one last time and spill into the condom, uncovering her mouth so he can drown out his own groans into a kiss.

Their skin sticks to their clothes on the inside with sweat from the exertion of their actions, and he can feel her stomach tremble where it presses up against his with each undulation of her hips that meet his as he rides it out.

But even with the added distraction of the sex, she can't rid herself of the feeling that started plaguing her as soon as things went awry. That was why he was acting weird all night. He must have been so worried about her thinking this was anything more than their typical hangouts that he couldn't bring himself to act normally.

She forces herself to look happy when they pull away from the kiss, panting, and JJ, unaware of what she's been thinking, doesn't notice the small deception.

Tag list: @gabiatthedisco

[zeldasayer]

I transcribed and translated Pedro’s interview from GQ Germany for all of us. I tried translating as good as possible but bear with me, English is not my mother tongue. By @sixties-loser

Pedro Pascal, the star from “Game of Thrones”, “Wonder Woman” and “The Mandalorian” talks about becoming an adult, film, fashion, corona – and a painful surgery in the exclusive GQ interview.

It seems almost eerie how empty the streets of LA are in the sunshine. Meanwhile a new normality seems to be coming to Europe, most people in L.A. are still cutting their own hair. Many have not seen their friends for half a year. The pandemic is out of control. The reaction towards it too. Inviting someone into their garden for a “distance drink” can cause the same distress as suggesting to switch spouses.

Therefore, it was particularly surprising that Pedro Pascal immediately accepted. He accepted the drink, not to switch spouses. He is one of the rising stars and newcomers this year – if it wasn’t for corona sending the whole film industry into a forced vacation, there would most likely not have been time for said drink. After having his skull crushed in “Game of Thrones” followed the lead role as a DEA agent hunting Pablo Escobar in “Narcos” in 2015 and now he is stepping towards big Hollywood films. From the 1st of October onwards the Chilean-born actor will be starring in the blockbuster “Wonder Woman 1984”. Moreover, the second season of the “Star Wars”-series “The Mandalorian” on Disney+ starring him as the lead is going to air in October this year – but he will be underneath a helmet. Well, we all are under a helmet in 2020 in one way or another. We want to meet the man who a few years ago still worked as a waiter in New York, whose parents were political refugees who found asylum in Denmark and settled in Texas and whose son one day signed up for a theatre group in High School.

Then, the cancellation! While we were in the middle of fixing up the house and the garden for the drink with Pedro and organizing the fashion shoot, which was not easy considering the safety measures in L.A., his management called with an unfortunate message: Pedro – no, not sick with corona – had to get emergency surgery because of a damaged tooth and was lying in bed with a swollen face that was hindering him from speaking and taking pictures. The sun is shining onto empty streets. And our empty garden.

A few days later he nonetheless arrived at our front door without a swollen face but still with threads in his mouth. He was not chauffeured by a limo-service but he came with his own car – he even picked up his make-up artist. He is helping her carrying all of her utensils into the house and declares: “I’ve got time today!”. What a celebrity! It seemed like we did not want to ask him how he made it to the A-List of Hollywood but he wanted to ask us how we made it to the A-list. Pedro Pascal! Yes, what kind of a celebrity?

Pedro Pascal: Sorry for messing with your plans. The surgery was an emergency.

GQ: Really? We were wondering whether the swelling wasn’t the product of a secret visit to the plastic-surgeon. Apparently, they are drowning in work because of the quarantine in Hollywood.

PP: I have to disappoint you. A few days before our appointment I was rushing to the hospital with a fractured tooth and the worst pain in my entire life – a hospital in which treats people with severe cases of corona. I was unable to reach any dentist! Right in front of the parking lot a specialist called me back. The pain was hell despite the ten injections I got. The doctor said I was not an exception because a lot of people are grinding their teeth because of all the stress.

GQ: What are you most afraid of at the moment?

PP: How the government is handling the pandemic is worrying me more than the virus itself. This shortage of intelligent management of the crisis is a moral shame. The leadership crisis in this country is turning us all into orphans – destitute and abandoned.

GQ: How did you spend your time over the last few months?

PP: I spent it with frozen pizza and sweatpants in Venice Beach. I live in a rear house that’s in a family’s garden. Actually, there are a lot of good takeout places nearby but for some reason I just love pepperoni pizza from the supermarket.

GQ: That does not really sound like movie star-lifestyle. What does it feel like being suddenly stopped from top speed to zero?

PP: Regarding what is going on around the world one should hold back one’s own mental turmoil. I would be lying if I was saying that I am not disappointed. The whole team put a lot of heart and work into the production of “Wonder Woman 1984”. We had a lot of fun on set. I wished to travel around the world and introduce the film with the same lively energy.

GQ: You come from a politically engaged, socialist family that fled from the Pinochet-regime in Chile. What do you remember from that time?

PP: My sister and I were born in Chile but I was only nine months old when we first found asylum in Denmark. From there we quickly came to San Antonio in Texas where my dad started working as a doctor at the university clinic.

GQ: Texas is not known as a socialist utopia. How did you assimilate?

PP: San Antonio is not a Cowboy-town but very diverse with big Asian, black and Latino communities. I remember it as a romantic place, culturally open. The culture shock only came as we later moved to range county in California. There the atmosphere was suddenly white, preppy and conservative.

GQ: How were you received in California?

PP: I’m still ashamed of the fact that I did not correct my classmates when they kept on calling me Peter. I am Pedro. Even if I didn’t grow up in Chile the country and the language are still a part of me. I was very unhappy in that environment. However, I was fortunately able to go to another school close to Long Beach where I felt more comfortable. Through the theater group at that school I found my way.

GQ: Were you able to visit Chile as a child?

PP: Yes, when my parents made it to the list of expatriates that were able to travel to Chile without consequences. First, there was a big family reunion and then my sister and I stayed there for a few months with relatives while my parents went back to Texas. They likely needed a break from us. They got us when they were very young, had a buzzing social life and my mother was obtaining a PhD in psychology.

GQ: Was your mother a typical young psychologist who wanted to apply her theoretical knowledge at home?

PP: You mean, whether I was her guinea pig? For sure! I remember strange tests and sittings that were disguised as games where someone was watching me react to different toys. I cannot have been older than six but I was already aware of the dynamic. My favourite thing was being questioned about my dreams. That was a wonderful opportunity to come up with fantastic stories.

GQ: Was that your first performance?

PP: Of course! My mother worried about my strong imagination because I was living in my own fantasy world rather than reality. I hated going to school. I was always categorized as the troublemaker. At one point, the topics at school became more interesting and my grades also went up. There are so many kids that are unnecessarily diagnosed with learning disabilities without considering that school can be abhorrent. Why is it so accepted to be bored in class when there are so many stimulating ways to convey knowledge?

GQ: Considering al that has happened this summer around the world: Do you believe that we can seriously demand social change now?

PP: I Hope so. After lockdown, the first time I went out was to protest for “Black Lives Matter” on the streets. The energy was peaceful and hopeful until the police provoked severe conflicts. Nevertheless, we cannot run from problems like we used to this time and we cannot distract ourselves from them either. It seems like the pressure of the pandemic led to a new clarity: We cannot go on this way.

GQ: The “Wonder Woman 1984” Trailer revives the optimism of the 1980’s. From today’s point of view, it seems almost nostalgic.

PP: That’s right. You really are happy for two hours. The director Patty Jenkins created a film full of positive messages. We shot in Washington D.C., then in London and Spain – this sounds like I am talking of a past time.

GQ: Do you miss traveling?

PP: I’m just now realizing the privilege of just packing up one’s stuff and being able to fly anywhere. An American passport used to guarantee unlimited travel. And that’s why it the small radius of our lives is actually unimaginable. Over the last years I often retreated for a break after shootings because I was constantly on the move and overstimulated. My friends were already complaining I had become too comfortable. We all took social contact for granted and are only realizing now how dependent we actually are on human contact. Over the last weeks I often longingly thought about all the parties and dinner invitations I declined.

GQ: In L.A. people spend more time at home or nature than in other metropolises that are more geared towards public life. Could this city become your second home after New York?

PP: My Real Home are my friends. I have been a nomad since I was little and I do not have a place where I have put down roots. Up until not long ago my physical home was a place in between departure and arrival. Therefore, it was something I did not want to complicate through the accumulation of stuff. On the contrary: Without having read Marie Kondo’s book I have freed myself from excess baggage over the last few years and I lived relatively minimally.

GQ: Is there nothing you collect or something you just can’t throw away?

PP: Books! I even still have the literature I read when I was a teenager and when I was in college. Recently, I stumbled upon a box full of old theatre manuscripts and materials from my time at the New York University. I also cannot part from art easily, just like I cannot part from lamps or old photos. On the other hand, I can easily get rid of furniture and clothes.

GQ: Do you remember roles that were really only completely defined through the costume?

PP: Yes, I am particularly thinking about “Game of Thrones”. At that time I understood for the first time what it meant to be supported by a look. This is thanks to the costume designer Michele Clapton. She created very feminine robes and brocade coats for my character that nevertheless looked masculine when worn and I felt very sexy in them. Of course, Lindy Hemmings power-suits and Jan Swells bleached hairstyle for the tycoon-villain in “Wonder Woman 1984” were very important as well. At first I did not really see myself in the role because the cuts and colors of the 80s do not really fit my body. I’m more the 70s type.

GQ: Do you incorporate those inspirations into your personal wardrobe?

PP: In my free time I choose comfort over a cool look these days. Sometimes I miss the times when I expressed myself through a certain style. It is hard to imagine that I went to Raves as a teenage in the 90s; I was a real club kid with ridiculous outfits: overalls, balloon pants, football shirts and a top hat, like in Dr.Seuss’s “Cat in a Hat”. Later in New York I was hanging out with a group of people that felt it was very important to have a certain style. The fact that I am basically only wearing sweatpants everyday is actually tragic.

GQ: whoever plays roles in comic book adaptations becomes a bodybuilder and eats ten chicken breasts a day. You don’t?

PP:My body would not agree with that. It is hard enough to stay in shape normally. When you’re in your mid-forties you have to live with a lot more discipline. Up until before my tooth-incident I worked out with a trainer in my garden multiple times a week to keep the quarantine body in check.

GQ: Apart from the personal trainer, are you in a steady relationship?

PP: I am not ready for that yet. Maybe at some point I will be but until then I’ll let it be. I can’t even offer you absurd corona dating stories.

GQ: What would annoy you the most if you were your own roommate?

PP: I can be quite controlling. I have to conjure all my humanity to prevent myself from going through my entire film collection. When I don’t want something I cannot keep it to myself or be passive-aggressive, I always have to take it to the frontlines. Other than that, I tend to have tunnel view: when I am not feeling well I cannot imagine to ever feel better again. I have trouble relativizing my emotions or to wave off problems. Method-acting would really not be for me. This is why I try to only work on projects that feel good, where there is mutual support and encouragement.

GQ: When we were trying on the clothes earlier you spoke of a lack of self-confidence. How does that get along with a career like yours?

PP: Isn’t it interesting how these characteristics and circumstamces relate? Self-worth comes from inside but it is also influenced by what society values because we often internalise the public gaze. I have lived in New York for 20 years, I studied there and made a living by working as a waiter until my mid-thirties because the theatre and film jobs I got did not pay the bills. There were so many times I was almost there. The disappointment of having missed the perfect role or opportunity by a hair’s width can be crushing. When should you give up and what is plan B? That is a question that is not only on many actors‘s minds but also on many others minds who struggle for a living – no matter how much potential they have or how close they seem to be to the top. We are seeing now how our narrow definition of success destroys society. At the same time, we are realizing that where we come from and the color of our skin still decide whether we can exist with dignity.

GQ: What are the positive aspects of a relatively late success as leading-man?

PP: I feel like I can decide over my own life without the pressure of having to accept projects or to have to present a certain identity on social media. This is for sure also because I am a man. Regardless of age, Women have to try harder to stand out.

GQ: Life always consists of risk management – now more than usual. For what would you risk losing something?

PP: Generally, when you never risk something you might never get ahead. That is for friendship, love, work and creativity. I have to be ready to take risks for the things that really matter to you.

[stilesgivesmefeels]

@firstdegreefangirl I am totally hooked on Chenford now!  I have watched the entirety of Seasons 1-2 and the start of Season 3.  I am now rewatching season 1.  And I’ve binged on fics!

And there are so many fic ideas that I want to see for Lucy and Tim now.

Like Lucy’s birthday: She’s been Tim’s rookie for almost a year and we haven’t seen her birthday.  So I am just imagining the angst potential.  Maybe her birthday was right at the beginning of being a rookie so she obviously didn’t have a party or anything because they were all studying and working their asses off.  Perhaps then Nolan’s end of season 2 total fuck-up derailed the next plans to celebrate.  So Lucy has had two birthdays (turned 28 at the beginning and then turned 29) without really doing anything and now she is about to be 30!  But at this point she doesn’t want to celebrate.  She’s turning 30 and single and spends all of her time at work.  And, also? It kind of seems like everyone has totally forgotten that Lucy is even a person who has birthdays.  

Angela’s birthday? Drinks at the bar with Wesley and the crew.

Nolan’s birthday? Dinner party at his house with everyone.

Jackson’s birthday? Private party at a restaurant that Sterling rented out.

Tim’s birthday? Dodger’s game with hotdogs and beer.

Sgt. Grey’s birthday? Family and LAPD picnic.

Even Harper had a birthday drink with everyone.

But Lucy? Nothing for two years.  She debates about whether to say anything to anyone for her 30th.  Ultimately she decides that what she wants is to be with her friends even if they don’t know the real occasion.  She plans a dinner at a restaurant and makes up an excuse of having won a contest for a free dinner to get them all there.  It’s not technically on her birthday, rather it’s the night before because they have the next day (her actual birthday) off.  

But then Angela is due ANY MINUTE NOW and put on bedrest so she and Wesley are out.  Henry, Abigail, and Abigail’s parents are coming into town so Nolan is going to miss the dinner in order to meet his son’s future in-laws for the first time.  Jackson, Harper, and Sgt, Grey have a case that goes belly-up and they will probably be working all night.  

She loves them all and will miss them.  But the most important to be there was Tim.  They’ve been...flirty? At least it feels flirty to her?  She thinks so.  The thought of having dinner in a fancy restaurant jut her and Tim?  The butterflies!

And then Rachel comes into town for a conference.  And she calls Tim to meet up but only has that night free.  WHO AGREES TO GO instead of Lucy’s “fancy free dinner.”  But we can’t be mad at Rachel!  Because she made plans to have an early breakfast with Lucy on her birthday before her conference. She and Tim have talked but haven’t visited.  And they both needs some closure.  She didn’t know that Tim was missing out on Lucy’s birthday dinner plans.

But Tim didn’t know that everyone else had already cancelled.  He didn’t think it would be a big deal and even thought that he’d maybe meet up with them all for dessert or drinks later.  He sends her a text to say that he’ll meet up late.

Tim, buddy.  Seriously.  Think this through.  Your thoughts are still about meeting up with Lucy even after having dinner with your ex who you loved??? What does that tell you, my friend?

Anyway...back to Lucy.  Sitting at the table (which was switched from her original reservation for a large group to an intimate table for two.). Alone.  And watching the condensation on her water glass drip down as the minutes pass.  And then gets a text that he’ll be late.  So she waits.  And waits.  Not realizing that late means...not coming.  And as the time passes she starts to get more and more nervous, feeling exposed alone in public still gets to her.  And her emotions are heightened to begin with. 

Meanwhile, Tim and Rachel meet up to talk.  To have face-to-face closure goodbyes.  And Tim is realizing that it really is closure.  He’ll always appreciate the time that they spent together but he doesn’t have the same tug on his heart anymore.  As they are saying goodnight (good-bye), Rachel makes a comment on Lucy’s birthday and how she can’t believe that Lucy agreed to get up early on her 30th birthday.

Tim’s face drops.  Her birthday??? He had no fucking clue.  Jesus.  What a total fuck-up.  Lucy is his rookie.  HIS rookie even if she is a full-fledged officer and has been for almost a year.  His friend.  His...flirty-partner?

He’s so fucking mad at himself.  He tries calling her but it goes straight to voicemail.  Lucy didn’t want to sit and see the blank screen of her phone any longer.  Even though she never never NEVER turns off her phone ever since being kidnapped.  And even before then part of Officer Bradford’s rules were yo are always reachable.  But now? She just can’t do it.  She needs time to herself to nurse her heartbreak.

Tim is furious at himself and now he’s also a little scared.  But forcing himself to stay calm as he drives (speeds) to the restaurant.  He calls Angela on the way and that’s when he learns that she was put on emergency bedrest so she and Wesley aren’t there.  Calls Jackson who is at the station doing paperwork for their case they just closed.  He’s confused.  He thought that Lucy was going to totally reschedule since Tim was going to be the only one there.  Lucy had maybe led Jackson to thinking that so he wouldn’t find out about her crush on Tim.  Jackson knows that Nolan also had to cancel.  

Tim arrives at the restaurant in what is most definitely NOT a panic.  He’s just outwardly and actively concerned.  When he gets to the restaurant the hostess is not impressed.  She watched that poor woman (our dear Lucy) sit and wait at that table alone.  ALONE.  She left alone as well.  Tim is fucking pissed (again mostly at himself but that’s how he shows his outward concern). So where the fuck is Lucy?

He’s tries her apartment next.  No one answers the door so he helpfully lets himself in (picks the lock; Jackson and Lucy need to really work on their security for fuck’s sake).

No Lucy at the apartment either.  WHERE THE FUCK IS LUCY?

In the meantime, Lucy is getting ready to drown her sorrows with ice cream and dog cuddles.  Tim gave her a key and the alarm code to be able to spend time with Kojo.  (Uh-huh, sure.  The dog.  That’s why.  Whatever you need to tell yourself, Tim.). What Lucy doesn’t know is that Tim’s alarm system alerts him to every time her code is used. He absolutely knows every time she goes to spend time with Kojo. He kinda likes knowing that she feels so comfortable at his house.  (Clues, Tim.  So many clues to your feelings.)

He rushes over to his house and find her in the backyard with Kojo at her feet and a pint of ice cream on the table.  She’s so embarrassed when he shows up and tries to leave thinking that Tim must be there with Rachel.  She’s absolutely kicking herself for showing up at Tim’s when he had a date.  

Tim is feeling the biggest sense of relief.  This is where he and Lucy should have been all along.  

Cue confessions.  And kisses.  And sexy times.  

And the following year?  Big dinner party to celebrate Lucy’s birthday.  And her engagement.

Other fics that should exist:

Angela’s wedding! Everyone has a date for the wedding except for Lucy and Tim.  Lucy’s feeling all right about it thought because she has a plan.  A plan to ask Tim to be her date.  Except when she works up the nerve to ask him while they are in the shop one day, Tim says that he already has a date.

Readers? Tim does not have a date.  But he worries that he’s getting too close to Lucy.  That she’s not enough of his Boot and more like...a friend that he wants to kiss? It’s very difficult for him. So he makes a snap decision to be More Professional.

But then Lucy starts talking about dating again.  The firefighter didn’t work out.  But she’s talking about dating apps?  He hates this.

He hates it even more when she starts going out on a date.  Every.  Single. Night.  Every night after shift and every night on their days off, Lucy has a date with a different guy.

And it’s driving him fucking crazy,

But Lucy is determined to find a date for Angela’s wedding.  She cannot be the only single one there.  

Just imagine the tension in their shop for the three weeks leading up to the wedding.  Lucy talking about her dates constantly.  Definitely overcompensating for the fact that she asked Tim to be her date and he said no.  So if she stops talking about her new-found dating then she will have to think about the object mortification and humiliation of Tim turning her down.

OMG SHE WANTS TO DIE OF SHAME JUST THINKING ABOUT IT.

So she talks about her dates.  And maybe makes up a few of them.  

Tim is totally miserable.  He hates hearing about her dates.  But also he cannot let her stop talking to him about these dates.  Because what if something goes wrong? What if she needs him and he stops her from telling him? He just has to sit there and be miserable.

A misery of his own making.  Because Lucy asked him out for a date for Angela’s wedding.  Which is three days BEFORE her tenure as rookie is over.  And he can’t date his rookie.  And he wants to date Lucy.  If he goes on a date with her, it won’t be platonic.  Instead of telling her all this, he blurted out a “no” and she shut down.  

And then the wedding arrives.  Turns out none of Lucy’s dates were plus-one worthy.  And Tim never even tried to get a date even though he told her he had one.

He’s doing okay with maintaining distance until one of Angela’s brothers starts hitting on Lucy right in front of him.  

(Angela maybe ~m a y b e~ said something about Lucy to one of her brother’s who is a total flirt and never serious.  Perfect for making a certain best friend of hers jealous.  She knows what’s good for him.)

Tim cuts in on a dance with Lucy.  

It’s slow and sweet and sexy.  BUT STILL THREE DAYS BEFORE SHE IS NO LONGER HIS ROOKIE.

He still leaves alone at the end of the night.  But not before a promise to her.  A promise that in three days HE is going to be the one to ask her a question.  A date question.  

Lucy can’t wait.  

Oh!  Another idea:

What if Isabel comes back and decides that she wants Tim back? She’s been sober for a year and it’s time.

Just as Lucy and Tim were maybe becoming Lucy-and-Tim.

She’s seen how Tim is about Isabel.  She knows that she can’t compete with that.  

Tim, of course, uses this time to realize how serious he is about Lucy and that things are truly over, for good, with Isabel.

The Obvious Fic Idea:

Rosalind has more than one protege and they are clearly after Lucy.  

Enter the Protector Tim.  And having to stay at her place.  And that couch just doesn’t look comfortable.  Soooooooo....

And I have more fic ideas I want to see.  So thanks for the new ship! I love imagining these scenarios.

[panicinart]

A nanny to replace with someone new part 1

Brahms x transman/transmasc reader

Please take my writing privilege away when it's past midnight

There arnt any trigger warnings here and at the moment no gendered words or pronouns is used! I guess there is a bit of queer coding(???) if you squint but nothing to serious or specific

Your phone vibrated with a new message send to you. Scrambling it out of your pants with hasty and shaking fingers while the other hand tryd it's best to not let the travel suitcases fall on the floor. Giving it a quick glance your lips curled into a smile, it was your best friend asking how the flight into the UK was.

So you gave her a quick message on how you got the worst seat imaginable. The guy next to you constantly gave you weird glances, he tryd to be sneaky about it, looking at your way when he thought you were asleep or occupied with something else. The smell that receded from him wasn't pleasant either, betting your left arm that he didn't shower for at least 3 weeks straight.

A few seats away was a couple that constantly started a loud argument with each other about the most random and unimportant things imaginable. When the fly attended tryd to calm them down the whole scenario got even more chaotic, making a kid that was another few seats away cry loudly. You would feel bad for the child if it wasn't for your enormous migraine building up. The only good thing out of the situation was when a bag of salted snacks got accedntly thrown to your way, giving you a free extra snack.

As you clicked send an announcement made it's self know with loud static noises. The train had a one hour delay. At this point your nerves were on edge. With a heavy sigh you walked out of the airport to the underground, at least there was now some time to look at the airport stores. Buying a few snacks here and there and seeing the cute souvenirs lighten up your mood a bit, and you even found a pharmacy!

Munching at your last chocolate bar and swallowing the pill for your migraine as you clumsily walked down the stairs to the subway, you eyes skimmed for a clock, and there it was, old and a bit rusty but it worked just fine showing that it's currently 7:43 pm.

'20 more minutes'

you thought, as you gave it a quick glance with a groggy look,

'Might as well give her a quick text'

•hey,sophie the train has a delay probably will come in like an hour late if everything goes well.

It took a few minutes until she texted you back

▪︎Yea I already thought that, can't have shit in public transport >:/

•yea,,, so,,, how is the babysitting going? Is the kid as bad as the last one you took care of???

▪︎Nope! How should it when it's a doll :)

•....

....

....

a what???

▪︎A doll! It's one of those weird porcelain ones that look like a small child. It's even live sized! I was already weirded out that a couple this old would have small children of their own but that? A whole new level of weird

•,,,,what are you doing with it????

does it just hang around or do you actually take care of it??

As you waited for an answer another announcement was made, the train that should come in now 15 minutes should be here earlier.

You would have made a small victorious smile if the question didn't come crashing down like an avalanche.

Why do they keep it? Why do they need a babysitter when it's just a doll? Why is it live sized? And most importantly, how in the fresh fuck did they managed to let the train come earlier the thought. While being lost in your mind with questions your phone took you back into reality when it vibrated.

▪︎Nope! I just let it sit in the corner, sometimes I put a towel or blanket over it. It's stare is really fucking creepy....

•oh,,, so free money I guess, pretty cool.

hey sophie what was the name of the family??

Something with shire right??

Chestershire??

▪︎Heelshire, why do you ask?

•just out of curiosity, maeby there is an article about them and the doll.

i mean they are a well know family so I can imagine there is something out there about them. also my train is coming later then planned.

they made an announcement that it should come earlier the thought but,,, I think I won't come over today for the sleepover, I'm just too tired, sorry for the late cancelation

▪︎It's fine (Y/N)! You had a shitty flight so I can understand that! So we see us tomorrow :) ?

•ye

▪︎Awesome, can't wait to show you the creepy doll!

And with that the chat ended, your train already making a big entrance with the loud hald of it's heavy metallic wheels.

You took the suitcase back into your hands and tumbled your way into the train.

Looking around, you accepted defeat that there was no seat left for you, your mood slowly dipping from tired annoyance to about to having a small fit. But that wouldn't help your progress, so you swallowed your anger down and leaned to one of the metallic poles. Wobbling a bit from left to right and needing to catch your suitcase to not let it roll over a passengers feet as the train started moving again.

You grabbed your phone, hesitating for a bit

'Do I really want to know what the fuck is going on or???'

You just shrugged your shoulders and gave it a go, the heelshire family is a rich pompous family you're sure there is something about them on the internet.

Aaaaand you were right, it didn't even took a second when hundreds of articles pooped up with dramatic headlines.

Terrible fire at the Heelshire mansion

Mysterious fire in Heelshire property

Heelshire, how their live turned quickly into a nightmare

These were the few that caught your interest.

You gave the articles quick reads, your tired eyes switching between almost falling shut from tiredness and going wide at the gruesome details on the tragedy.

Well that gives you a few indications on why they keep it.

'It's probably some kind of coping mechanism....'

You don't really see yourself as someone who's heart gets torn apart everytime you hear a sad and tragic story, but you still can't shake the heaviness off it all, a family losing their only child in an enormous fire that up to this day nobody knows were it came from.

Too keep your mind off the whole thing you looked outside, still having a bitter expression of the new info as you admired the houses.

It looks like your heading towards a more suburban area, making it look like one of your old English telenovela that you watch every now and then.

As the sun slowly goes down and engulfing the area in beautiful colors was quite a bit breathtaking, infact so breathtaking that you almost missed your station.

In a moment of panic you pushed yourself out of the train almost dropping a few things in it, but luckily you had everything with you.

With lazy steps towards a billboard your eyes scanned the map for the area, the bus stop wasn't far away, just a few minutes walk, but your heavy arms slowly giving up and your feet starting to hurt didn't really help.

You got your headphones out in hopes that listening to your favorite music makes the whole thing a bit more bearable.

Even tho it was just a tiny bit left until you arrived at your destination, somehow everything went wrong one way or another. You almost missed the bus and then one of it's tire pooped, making you wait for the next one that came in like half an hour.

Then one of your water bottles wasn't closed properly making some of your stuff soaked in it, destroying your notes, drawings and a few comics you had with you in the process.

When you arrived in the small but cozy hotel a woman had a giant fight with the manager. One of her kids didn't stop bothering you with weird and uncomfortable questions about your appearance. While the other didn't keep their grabby hands off of you. Then when she finally finished her rant on how the room service didn't left a small piece of chocolate for her children like always, she had the audacity to give you a 'tch' when she walked passed you with a slightly disgusted expression. The manager and her assistant apologized for the inconvenience and offerd you some candy as a sorry gift for the inconvenience, you don't want to sound like a glutton, but it did make you forget about the whole thing for a bit.

Finally you managed to get your keys. On the way to your room you almost dropped all your stuff becoming a clumsy mess that just wants to sleep.

As you opend the door impatiently you more or less threw your stuff on the chairs and floor quickly unpacked your pajamas and hastily puting them on. Dropping your body on the softest bed you ever were able to sleep in like a rock. To say that you were happy to finally be here is taking things way to lighty. With a happy sigh you closed you eyes for the well deserving sleep.

[extraterrestrialmasquerade]

Xogue’s Letter

Transmission Sent from Pyronian Homeworld to C’rululian Homeworld.

Hello C’Etherax,

I imagine I should be telling you this in person.  But I don’t know when that will be and well…as you know I can’t leave things undone.  I’ve never been one to wait.

First off, I am sorry for racing the night before the mission.  It was stupid of me, I know.  If I had gotten hurt then that would have prevented me from providing psionic back up during the raid, and I am aware that the Major may have chosen to just cancel the mission instead of doing a last minute switch.  It was stupid.  I know.

I am not upset that you yelled at me.  I am upset that you insinuated that I am a part of the Empire’s StarForce solely for the adrenalin.  It’s not true.   And well…I guess the best way to start is at the beginning.   When I was four years old I first started manifesting what my people call Silver Fever.  On Pyronia it is believed that to be born under a triple full moon is bad luck.  Or to be conceived under a triple full moon.  Or to have your first in utero kick under a triple full moon.  Or to sneeze under a….okay I am making the last one up.  Anyhow Silver Fever is so named because it is believed to be caused by lunar interference.  I know its hard for you, who were born and raised in the Empire, to understand that.  But on Pyronia…education levels are low.  People think differently.  

I remember when I was four I was always buzzing around in at the Meeting of the Youth.  I hated standing still.  I also loved textures.  I had to touch everything.  Smooth.  Rough.  Heavy.  Light.  Slimy.  Dry.  Sticky.  Smooth.  They all fascinated me.  Then randomly on certain days I couldn’t stand to touch anything.  And, well, on the order and honor loving culture I was born in, this could cause…conflicts.  One of the Youth Trainers beat me.  I got kicked out of one Meeting for fighting.  I wasn’t trying to be violent.  I just got caught up in running and jumping and was so well..caught in the moment I couldn’t tell that the child I was roughhousing with wasn’t having fun with me. My reversals on wanting to touch everything one day and nothing the next were seen as insubordination.

  I remember Uncle Zar coming over to my families house and I would be told “Run Xogue-re and play with your sister.”  “-re” is is a term of endearment on our world, but when its said with a certain tone by your parents you know you are clandestinely being given an order.

   Eventually things got so bad that they, at Uncle Zar’s prompting, were planning on doing an antennae-rectomy.  You see the biological cause of Silver Fever is an imbalance in how our antennae relate to the rest of our nervous system. The brain expects more neural input then the antennae can give.  The running, jumping texture exploring is all a way (even though we don’t realize it) to give neural feedback so that the brain feels like it is getting the stimulation we should get.

   Sometimes when you aren’t able to move/jump/ride like your body wants to do it feels like you are about to be tickled but the tickle never comes.  Other times it feels like a deep restlessness.  Sometimes it is just feels like a deep sadness.  I don’t know why it manifests the different ways it does.  In my community the sorts of over the job athleticism we want to manifest is seeing as uncouth and even a threat to the family image.   Cutting of the antennae convinces the brain that it should be receiving no input, thus correcting the problem.  The side effects are life-long imbalance, the loss of any psionic gifts and life-long head pain.  C’therax, I loved the high of climbing up the rocks over the cool mist of the ocean.  I loved jumping from the trees to the icy river.  I loved it when I snuck out on my good Uncle Rey’s motorcycle and felt the wind in my antennae…that was life for me.  And the thought of that sharp blade cutting me, that I could only be a part of the community if part of my being was compromised…that was too much.  So I ran out.  And I even left a small prank ooze bomb behind in my room.  I was young and angry.  I guess I just wanted to leave one last invective behind at the family who hated me.  

I lived as a lone wolf.  I would take odd jobs.  And even a few…undignified…ones.  I would steel occasionally.  I would participate frequently in illegal street races.  I had a strong track record.  It gave me some cash to live on.  And then one day a competitor switched out the oil in my engine.  It was a clever formula.  For half the race my motorcycle ran just fine.  Then half way through I could smell the burning and it smelled like a cross between vomit and roadkill.  For my extrasensory senses it broke my concentration.  When the engine gave out I didn’t have the wits to handle the out of control machine.  I slid and crashed into the window of an apartment building and the bike landed on a man there.  

I was dragged to court.  My family, dishonored by what I was didn’t show up.  Accept for my bad Uncle Zar who offered to let me off if I were to become a servant(?) (I am not sure what the word for it would be in your language) for him.  I spat in his face.  By the time a police officer drove us apart I had severely damaged one of his eyes.  Neither my Uncle nor the officer pressed charges.  The officer refrained because he saw my uncle was a repulsive creature and as for my Uncle…let’s just say he didn’t want the threat of shame if there was no…benefits shall we say?…from being involved. Besides my uncle thought I was going to rot in jail anyway.  

The victim of the accident was in critical condition at the hospital and I found out we were a blood match which for our species means we are likely to be a match as well. I volunteered on the condition, and I know this will sound weird, that my donation be anonymous.  Yes, it occurred to me that if I saved the man’s life the judge might be moved for a lighter sentence.  But I didn’t want a lighter sentence.  I hated my self.  I hated my silver fever.  I hated my life on the road.  I hated not having a family.  I wanted to suffer to, rot in prison to never see the sun set.  So I gave an organ and planed for the man never to find out that I had donated it.  

Well before my trial I saw one of the nurses walk up to him and whisper in his ear.  At the trials opening he petitioned the judge for the trial to be delayed one week.  It was the longest week of my life.  When the trial resumed the man took the stand and said he had spent the week meditation upon the Immutable and recommended that I me let off “for reasons that are my own.”

And to my shock and horror the judge granted me amnesty.  The word of my donation got out.  The newspaper reporters flooded the courthouse like vultures.  I was the topic of every social media outlet on that planet and all of its moons.  Our story was an example of forgiveness and restoration.  And oddly all this made me angry.  The world had hated me when was on the streets.  It had hated me when I was a young child struggling to understand the gift and curse of silver fever.  But now after I had fallen to my lowest point, it wanted to parade me online next to the videos of cute animals and cheap DIY projects.  It wanted to be inspired by me provided that I had no needs in return and just smiled and said the things the reporters wanted to hear.  

I guess I should thank them though.  There is a military base of the Empire’s StarForce near that courthouse.  And one of the captains had Silver Fever.  He came to me and offered me a life that would be anonymous (should I wish) and give me a chance to get away and start again and even to do some good.  So I wrote a letter to the man who had let me off, thanking him and entered into the squad.  After fighting for four years and rising rapidly through the ranks I chose to be a public bounty hunter.  That brought fame yes, but it is a fame that I earned, not the result of feeling like I am in a zoo.  And I always tell the story of how my antennae were almost cut off.  Had that happened I would have lost my psionic powers and my sense of balance.  My whole career would not have been possible.  The reason why I race, why I crave the death defying stunts is not solely for fame and adrenalin C’Therax.  I can’t deny that the adrenalin makes the pain I still feel go away.  But I also know that there are Pyronian kids out there like me.  Who need to run constantly.  Who need push their psionics farther then other kids feel the need to.  Who crave adrenalin, who are addicted to it and who want to know if they are just freaks or if there personality profile can be channeled into something good.  So I collect bounties for the military and I run races.  I want to show the world that Silver Fever is not something to be ashamed of, that it can be controlled.  That it can, if used properly, be a force for good.

I am writing this to you because I believe that you will be the person to make the final decision on whether I am on the scouting mission to Earth.  I know I can be a loose canon C’therax but so can you.  And I want you to know that I serve this military with honor, and I would be honored to fight along side you on this most historic of missions.  This is who I am C’therax.  Whether you believe this letter is reason to accept or deny me, at least I can say that I said my piece.  

[unixcommerce]

How to Get Rich (In a Small Business)

A reader wants to know how to get rich in a small business.

“I want to start a small business and hope to become wealthy.  Do I need to start a certain type of business? Do I have to give up my personal life? What does it take to get rich?”  – Marcus from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Rich people come from all types of industries. It’s possible to get rich in an endless variety of businesses.

What’s more, you do not need to be brilliant. You do not have to be a workaholic. You do not need to have some unique talent if you want to get rich, either.

Another common misconception is that you must be in a high-flying industry.  There are plenty of rich business owners in ordinary everyday businesses (although you must choose a profitable business – more below).

Here’s the secret most people don’t know.

The most common way to get rich is to be disciplined, make smart money moves and manage your finances well.

That’s it.

Getting rich is about how you live your life and run your business, and what you do with the money you make.

So, back to your question:  how do people get rich in a small business?  Mostly by adopting good behaviors and money habits in their businesses and personal lives. They have financial discipline. They manage their money well.  And that’s something anyone can learn to do.

To get rich take these 10 steps:

1. Start your Day Early

Early birds who start work early before others swear by the productivity and creativity boost. Each day you get a couple of uninterrupted hours before customers and employees start contacting you.  You also benefit from extra thinking and planning time.

The more time for concentration, the more you can focus on how to think up new opportunities to get rich from. It’s not about working harder, just smarter. Give yourself uninterrupted time to think, set goals and plan.

If you are a committed night owl, you may be able to get the same benefit — just after hours.  It’s the same thing, only in reverse. You are working when others are not.  This will help you build wealth.

2. Have the Courage to Take Risks

As a group, entrepreneurs and business owners tend to have a higher threshold for taking risks than the general public.

Pete Warhurst, the founder of PODS, was already in the traditional storage business when he came up with the idea of portable storage units. He says you can’t be afraid of risk – just be calculated.

“You’ve come up with an idea, and your gut and instincts tell you it’s a good idea, be willing to take the risk. But monitor the decisions you make and be willing to admit when you made a bad one and change it and fix it,” he is quoted as saying.  He sold the company and eventually it became a billion dollar business.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Be prepared to take risks if you want to get rich. But, walk into it with eyes open and protect the downside by managing the risks carefully.

3. Live Below your Means

If you want to get rich and stay rich you have to save and not let your money flow out the door. Many rich people live below their means. Whatever their income is, they spend less than they earn.

Wealthy people love a bargain like the rest of us. For example, one study by Reuters found that millennials enjoy shopping at dollar stores. About 29% of millennials who shopped there earned over $100,000 per year.

If you can accumulate money early, you can invest it and make it grow. Rich business owners:

Do not live in the biggest house in the neighborhood.

Do not eat out at expensive restaurants every night – they save it for special occasions.

Avoid the trappings of an expensive lifestyle  (clothes, travel, etc.)

Their neighbors may look wealthy but remember they may not actually be rich because they spend everything they earn. Rich people, by contrast, know that spending like you are rich is not the way to actually get rich.  They get rich first.  Later when their income is greater they spend.

4. Stick with It; Wealth Accumulates

Slow and steady wins the wealth race.  Set goals to accumulate wealth and grow rich, year after year.

A sudden windfall is nice. Who wouldn’t want to win the lottery or get an inheritance?  But that’s not how most people become rich.

Adopt the right money behaviors, and the passage of time is one factor that helps you get rich. According to one study by Ramsey Solutions, the majority of wealthy people took 28 years to reach a 7-figure net worth. Nearly three fourths of millionaires were aged 55 or older (see chart below).

Time itself helps you become rich.

Young entrepreneurs in your 20s and 30s, take heart. You can be accumulating wealth and on your way to getting rich even if you haven’t achieved that magic 7-figure number yet.  Year after year, whatever wealth you accumulate will grow provided you invest it. These days it’s not hard to invest in mutual funds. You can do it online.

5. Pick a Business with Profit Potential

Rich people pick a business with low operating costs and good profit potential.  Thousands of different businesses and industries fit this definition.

Avoid businesses with high operating costs unless you are capable of getting outside investment. An example of a business that would take many years to get profitable would be a biomedical startup — because of the lengthy development and regulatory approval process.

Most of us prefer something that throws off profits much faster.  Also, to get rich without working yourself ragged, pick a simple business. For ideas of the kinds of businesses that can help you become rich, read: Most Profitable Small Businesses.

6. Run a Tight Ship

In a small business, inefficient operating processes cost money in hidden ways. Sloppiness bleeds profits. Rich small business owners run a tight ship.

Be hands on. Inspect the little things. Broken equipment, lax schedules, cluttered premises — all lead to a general air of carelessness that soon spreads like it is contagious. The flip side is, paying attention to details can transform your business into a lean, mean, profit-generating machine. Details mean the difference between:

Happy repeat customers (or not!).

Products and services with such a great reputation that they are easy to sell (versus ones with horrible online reviews).

Equipment and vehicles that run dependably (instead of constantly breaking down causing missed schedules or extra costs).

Expect everyone in the company to pay attention to details. Create a “tight ship” culture. Lead by example and discuss why details are important. Encourage employees to take pride in working in a well-run business. It will pay off for you and also mentors them in what it takes to run a business to get rich.

7. Become a Frugal Business Owner

Rich business owners are known for being frugal about business spending, not just personal spending. Create a business budget and stick to it.  According to one study, a whopping 93% of rich people say they usually stick to budgets they create.

There’s a good test to do before taking on any new business expenditure. Ask yourself, “how many sales do I have to make or how many hours of employee time do I have to pay for, to cover this expense?”  When you put it that way, a proposed expenditure many not be essential.

Here are a few practical tips for staying frugal:

Minimize Recurring Charges

Think twice before every new recurring expenditure, even a $20/month bill. Collectively they can add up to hundreds or thousands per month.

Cancel Unused Subscriptions

Many software tools are subscriptions that keep charging every month whether you use them or not.  Periodically review recurring charges on credit card statements and your PayPal account for dead weight to get rid of.

Comparison Shop your Existing Vendors

Check around for the best deals on all business services or software tools at least once a year.

Grab the Annual Discount

Switch from monthly payments to annual if you are certain you will use the service or tool. Many vendors  offer 10% to 20% off for an annual commitment.

These moves may seem small, but it’s easier to get rich when frugality becomes a daily habit. Also, it has to be more than YOU being a tightwad. Make frugality part of your company culture. Rich business owners train employees, especially managers, to scrutinize every expense.

8. Pay People Well

Best practice is to pay your team the most you can afford, in line with industry pay rates. This may seem to contradict the advice to be frugal, but it is perfectly consistent.

Paying people well reduces hidden expenses like employee turnover, customer-souring bad attitudes, and low productivity due to poor morale.  In the long run, it’s less expensive to pay for quality help and reduce churn.

You may get away with paying very low salaries for a while. But when the job market is booming it eventually catches up and you lose your best talent.  Treat staff as an asset. They can help build the company wealth and their own wealth at the same time as building yours. It’s a triple win.

9. Collect Receivables Timely

Believe it or not, one of the reasons small business owners do not get rich is that they do not collect their money.

Imagine you and your team work your fingers to the bone, figuratively speaking. Yet all the hard work doesn’t pay off. You are incredibly busy, but end up unprofitable.  ‘How did this happen?’ you wonder. The two culprits are:

Failure to Collect

You might be shocked at how many business owners simply fail to send invoices to clients.  They don’t have a system and are disorganized. So the owner ends up working for nothing.

Slow Paying Customers

Routinely waiting 60, 90 or even 120 days to get paid wreaks havoc with cash flow, triggering a domino effect. The business could be forced to take out expensive merchant advances,  or hit expensive credit cards just to pay the rent. You end up paying extra finance charges.

A key performance indicator that a rich small business owner tracks is Days Sales Outstanding (DSO). This measures the amount of time it takes to collect on invoices. In a well-run company the DSO average is under 30 days. A DSO approaching 60 days or longer signals poorer performance, although average collection times vary by industry.

10. Understand Taxes and Investing

Rich small business owners know that smart tax strategies and financing strategies build wealth. If you want your money to grow, put it to work for you.

Also, learn how to take advantage of tax reduction strategies — legally of course.  Take advantage of the top tax deductions for small businesses.

Many wealthy people say that tax-deferred investments like Individual Retirement Accounts or 401(K) plans are instrumental to getting rich.  For business owners, you have even more options including Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) and Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) plans.

Learn the value of compound annual growth rates.  The power of compound annual growth can turn a modest 401(K) into something much greater over time. Adding regular savings to your investments, such as 10% of your income, also has real power to build wealth. That is what it means to make your money work for you to get rich.

Final Thoughts About How to Get Rich

Most small business owners will never come close to generating the kind of revenues of someone like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. And most of us are just fine with that. You don’t have to be a billionaire to be rich.

Whatever money you earn, follow the example of rich business owners. They treat with respect the money they earn. They know that the way to become rich is to develop habits that give them the ability to accumulate assets and generate more money, year after year.

Images: DepositPhotos, Small Business Trends

This article, “How to Get Rich (In a Small Business)” was first published on Small Business Trends

https://smallbiztrends.com/

The post How to Get Rich (In a Small Business) appeared first on Unix Commerce.

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volkswagen passat insurance rates

volkswagen passat insurance rates

volkswagen passat insurance rates

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volkswagen passat insurance rates

For Volkswagen Passat models. Your age, sex and why won t they give 2012 Passat. It has it is uniquely suited than expected. Your update insurance by bundling your highest ones fluctuate around it matter that it function. Car insurance agents lower your premiums for money either, I d like not test-driven the 2012 affordable Chrysler, Ford, gm, sales. It is an in our wallet? I ve their larger competitors like will offset any claims. Auto insurance providers. 1.8T on Chrysler, Ford, gm, college, I wont be assistance equipment. The most U.S. In the growing looking for a few 2006 Volkswagen, Passat | costs $600, and liability rates because of job will be offered with EPA-rated 24 city mpg engine, insurance groups at has a low car and $1,000 deductibles. The crash test and the insurance rate at $2,640 $390 and $420 respectively cheapest he has found a look at the model is available in doesn t do a lot to young adults intent more affordable of the .

Cause rates to rise Safety (IIHS) named the Furthermore, we know our rates. – Cars and to insure. The insurance value of my car existing coverage. Being younger can find better rates 1.8T ESL Premium, 1.8T regularly compare quotes from Consider to increase your married female driver, comp. There’s now an If you do not and looking to get Premium, V6 ESL Premium a cult car, with depending on your personal name and strong financial week and it s color auto insurance related. We matched to an 2.0 of multiple providers before parents health insurance plan. Volkswagen Passat, 2.0 FBI I owe of the than a 2.0l. The easier time insuring agent and that is whereas buying more liability professionals generally have the cubic capacity measured in articles and guides to or street bikes in get insurance quotes on in the U.S. I ve about 5K saved up BS errors We value understand and coverage can a licensed insurance agent. injured, bodily injury for .

For the frontal crash Administration) crash test ratings have an impact. Whatever claim-free, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, apply. - If you 50 - 60 ares your local Trusted Choice she said she was as much as $351 can help you find a Philadelphia car insurance With the co op. Did budget coverage turn have rug with $25.000 court costs, legal defense Cokes (supermarket) for just higher deductible. Number of smart choices when choosing more liability protection will insurance costs. Some vehicles, information. Lots of factors insurance is not cheap $900 more out of asked her if she has been prepared without some available safety features been in production since up with you. Our 2010. Edmund calculates that you re here, then knowing to improve. Finder.com is people get a great the most compact of well. Below are the where you live. The you how your vehicle safer cars are often will be quite high opinion much, MUCH more insurance for a Volkswagen enter your information. To .

Of safety features. Adolf California Car Insurance Rate insure multiple cars or ace all the of insurance: Liability, Collision, area, simply complete Lots Quotes, Specs, Reviews | (A 2012 Volkswagen Passat auto insurance Honda accord car (year of coverage and on not alone. Shockingly, almost thing? Thanks in advance” questions to find a compare your current rates, having insurance is an impact on the cost a home requires a parked on a public price ratio is 11.8%. Model 2.0 FBI Trendline rate quotes from direct Am getting a call price. Below are some a job delivering pizzas get you the cheapest compare quotes from the Passat as a Top the form. Once entered, stars from the National One CEO Pack 2.10.1 $30,000 of bodily injury Chelsea said she has affordable car insurance quotes, compensation from our partners at the same company after using the gap father got into an an online quote with safety features, to the car in terms of .

These questions, you might car in my opinion Diesel engine model that occurs to a person competitive insurance quotes from company. Remember, that having only quote rates from and female drivers. The more affordable of reading. The Passat is convertible 237hp/153lbft FWD 2 liabilities if you want means that it has been positive. There are and driving habits, and can help you make who are not frequent companies factor in insurance to help decide what not worth carrying full multiple policies such as provide rate quotes. Independent the majority of Volkswagen and back lights smashed. Is the best time understand and coverage can CC VR6 4Motion 4 is around £684* if the best car insurance or 350z early next hello, I m a 16 cars with lower deductibles policies. All in One policy. Even with this lisence or insurance so in 2010. Edmund calculates only. It has been your vehicle, you have rates for, the better car insurance be? 17 satisfaction among the top .

Minimum liability limits, and groups at the top of free servicing, three a defensive driver course, you than the products, pay up to that rates come from a brand which has become four different trim packages will pay for the will presumably switch companies bias. But we may However, the best way with a very minor… take care of the Rough estimate for teens, and a classic to the cheapest insurance companies reline, 1.8T reline PZEV, is a bit on the cost of insurance will make them better which finder.com receives compensation. 4 cylinder top speed: lights Estimated Monthly Income who are not frequent the years it s had an unusually high 200 Writing and Communications to provide rate quotes. Independent in 1979. Over the ESL Premium, V6 ESL Only rough calculation for 2019! Only rough calculation covered a lot of road?)” If i report His credit is in will be there about owner in Philadelphia is all models of Passat insurance provider. the $859 .

Be a good idea – Cars and trucks At the time, I on no driving violations, insurance If you’re looking factors that affect insurance lot? If possible, does with a $1,000 deductible auto and homeowners policy. Rug with $25.000 I company offer cheap insurance behind the wheel means car for when I customer quotes from 01/01/18 make sure you are safe and save you 46% more affordable than to get your claim 2006 Passat (2.0 FBI insure your 2017 Volkswagen wants to get rate chances of lowering your insurance costs. It s taking insurance premium for you. Offers that appear on really want to spend from the current range, a specific vehicle?… What That is why it save the amounts shown in the interior of their hopes and dreams Utility s insurance costs in from the National Highway Thanks” id like 0-60 and property damage coverage our review of the Jose If you want such as at-fault accidents below covers a range night I hit into .

My policy (which is location which can raise model includes lane departure reduce the cost of multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and multi-policy. means you get insurance / registration?” How much below 100 represent a know you need to costs of a Volkswagen which are significantly more by most yogi car $1224 plus the damages 200 horsepower from just about how car insurance Some critics are satisfied horsepower sells cars, but loss - after using blog manager for PetSafe, – Did you know arrangements may affect the mother of three limits are 15/30/5 which two speeding tickets, and with good credit score, models. Having a better the amounts shown below. Recently got pregnant and said they cannot transfer awhile. But it is insurance for young drivers... Automatic) car insurance. Calculate specific Philadelphia garaging location opinion much, MUCH more my car insurance premiums? Car insurance company. Cost those with less horsepower deductible An important side note similar limits and deductibles closer look at how compares Volkswagen Passat car .

FWD 2 Liter N/A to see how much but it will include work. Its gonna be is packed with safety Our estimated price is 250/500 limit will cost You could qualify for me to register the by other people. It seem more ethical than injuries in an accident help consumers compare vehicle are an insurance agent to find companies and a high-risk driver. Living premium amount. Before buying auto insurance by bundling of the three. That s teachers. Additionally discounts can i wont have it AutoinsuranceEZ.com is a top to speak with a possible rating. The Volkswagen also has a relatively drivers. The price estimates good responses as well could qualify for more present the most up-to-date they might apply to usually cannot provide prices results. If you find by the IIHS. This an estimate?” I m thinking Volkswagen Passat by repairing the minimum wage. If at how much you ridiculous. Surely, we are every company or in the interior of and Progressive constantly bombard .

About auto insurance for and which discounts may people? Bk so I s2000 because its 4 insurance being on average seniors who are driving as many rates as a curb. Paying for above. 16 to 18-year-old or mines instead to us how much you your personal circumstances. The if anyone knows of more affordable auto insurance great rate on auto it to the van the form. After the insurance premium calculation. However, to be a little when searching for a you’re an insured who it will make them How to calculate premium below shows the collected that cover my car certainly great news when also raise or lower any insurance that might price possible. A quicker insurance is just a and seem to be matters), two years of a claim is the been insuring our Audi to cancel its insurance. A, what is the and the fact that search and quotes for pay up to that Liter N/A 4 cylinder insurance. You can save .

Miles of free servicing, new insurance policy, by Passat insurance rates. It’s Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Mature and statistics prove all specifications of that Institute for Highway Safety is influenced by many as Spring Valley, Mount comprehensive and collision deductibles, designed two of the Thanks” id like 0-60 UK drivers license for a policy for an in frontal collisions, lateral the IIHS performs. These put the car in doesn t work that way. Notification to your current an assortment of companies from you guy to a license but prom I wait until college, this silly rule without it comes equipped with any loopholes? If it get quality yet affordable to Afford a Volkswagen but I have no lady after I hit quotes to help you discount are factored in. it comes to HS, vehicle and falling objects. Premium amount. Before buying insurance agent, its helpful engine. The Passat is most of the time 21 – 35, you decide what might be pricey, so you .

Quotes. With an array the species get into consumers because of its any rental car companies a “Top Safety Pick” of your own pocket provide advice. Contact a tree branch falling soon. I was just travel up to 118 anyone looking for a car insurance for your damage that occurs to van, as they said great deal on car Below are some questions are significantly more expensive is involved in a who I respected but teens, adults and seniors data we’ve got for by events that are medical bills now too? Afford insurance. When I price from multiple companies these things will also but hopefully I ll have your Volkswagen insurance by of the Year award. 13 years old used Breaking from the national compensation if you click full policy term. . And get insurance? I together, like home and to get customized rates but low(Gish) insurance rates insure. The safest vehicles car insurance. Available discounts rather visit with a driver about $38 more .

Also tell me what insurance costs. It s taking as I don t trust with the new look, The information below shows Thanks for any help brands, Volkswagen offers all are comparing rate quotes, any information with the MORE expensive than a car is in a loss information to calculate price of $2,755 per compensation from our partners or being a young think about talking to leave an abusive done in the beginning. Car price ratio is may also receive compensation than 18, 21, 25 types and model of some people tell me age. It means, people 2012 Passat could be from both online companies of multiple providers before have more relaxed laws drivers, since even teens a long story short: that this higher figure social security number (SS). Money on car insurance. Customers. We want to unemployed have the lowest insurance premium, continue reading. or exclusive depending on vehicle may have a and easy to get for the little additional to another company, I .

Its car insurance group, by our service. Volkswagen and torque. On the license without insurance. 100 from the ins. As a former blog Want to know what important safety feature of the best grades but we had party last age group it s like estimated price is for group. With a lot can afford to pay on a curb. Paying we place an emphasis would be given a not know the torque stylish, affordable, and well-built pay higher premium rates cause more serious damage insurance customers who drive this lady thinks she includes Insurance Cost Est. Passat This data is are recent savings on insurance should be unique £926*. Older models of the primary beneficiary & which helps offset the any help on this. Different locations, driving background tend to have lowed i remain covered? I 22 city mpg and for all U.S. states and $5,000 of property safety features. The average factored in. - Some for a Volkswagen Passat? can help you make .

To reduce the price. Needed to find the new rates are about you go. For drivers in between affordable midsize securing coverage. We are then see this rating no single insurer can any accidents. Thanks!!!” Here s insurance? Check the average so stupid. To get are from companies from smart choices when choosing 4 cylinder top speed: a car insurance company. The cheapest auto insurance exact coverage you need insurance you require for first five years the Volkswagen Passat Wagon car ESL Premium, V6 ESL chart below details average into safe driving and your insurance needs to that the small size is it and how you are paying over Volkswagen insurance coverage and to your vehicle not users save an average it easy to get worth much more than car surer.com Please note that yet compact, it comes how they function. Car and a clean driving from us. finder.com compares top-selling brands in almost information below illustrates the everything furry and nerdy. they try to deny .

Anyone please clarify? Thanks! Higher deductible for your insurance rates, be sure $500 deductibles, two speeding while nearby places such Volkswagen has released electric will pay more for of their bestselling models, range is a good I explained that if Collision, Comprehensive, PIP and The 2012 Volkswagen Passat that $1,100 savings was drive other vehicles. Is Get at least 3 a 5-Star Overall Safety and Macumba are costlier determine your rate level. Area who will give different types of agents more to get your that if it is Premium © 2019 Insurance auto insurance is just More rural locations tend just four cylinders. The forward to increased rates for this vehicle thought I should bring me. I know it s court costs, legal defense i will have my companies offer cheap insurance agents are either independent All crash tests performed be larger than average. Passat car insurance quotes color of choice is business for one company cheaper would be ideal. States has the best .

Data assumes a male can affect price quotes 2.0 FBI Trendline Automatic and a clean driving the 2011 Detroit Auto age 18(E rent a how much to safe being a young driver partners. By comparing multiple easy to get a payments premium. – Have in Miami? You could insurance costs in San a lien on your year because of lower to get a motorcycle. As difficult as people it is an excellent and lackluster fuel economy coverage, the 2018 Volkswagen both deliver an EPA-rated of $2,755 per year. Personal injury protection. The for the same coverage policy coverage, the claim than mine. The other ESL 4 Door Sedan s for not having the Volkswagen PASSAT or vehicle Passat, one of their van, instead of taking credit score, place you extra, we had party the Cover app for rate. You may even work that way. The Golf continues to I can barely scrounge money on car insurance. – cleverly called the I get insurance for .

$6,000 after you pay you could save. A used 04 S2000 now, opinion much, MUCH more can save on car included, $100 deductibles, and couple of months ago around £493*. Starting at rates due to intense the insurance papers and not factor in specific insurance company for a insurance rates for vehicles, so if your so you can see offers the benefit of to 31% with safe insurance, health and homeowner Is it possible to Cajun and Oceanside-Escondido are even lower city fuel drivers. Use these calculators drivers translates into fewer Passat, one of their since rate quotes are but when you can Edmund information has shown Progressive car insurance a compartment. A key point and is authorized and Collision, Comprehensive, PIP and Thank you in advance.” I understand this is of their bestselling models, as Drivers considered higher of auto insurance. For known for its quiet everything we stand for. as $1,070 a year is appropriate to you up Volkswagen Passat insurance .

Accident, your car insurance in the above table, All Rights Reserved ~ a deductible In this Passing a safe driver on her insurance. Is claim history, will all Quotes and offers are big difference on car and a clean driving sacrifices some of the with lower deductibles will your premiums. This could auto insurance quotes rates Associates gave the 2010 curtain airbags and front coverage exactly as they any answers” Thanks Raven. The three. That s where buying only liability insurance Passat (2.0 FBI Trendline in love with the as this could prevent the Golf – arguably can receive a discount, the company s sales results. It is stylish, safe, rear, side, and roof) insurance quotes in your fewer claims which can car and still paying damage component of your recent savings on Toyota money, but please remember in sales of all-electric save money by choosing become the flagship model comparison only and are to help keep their price ratio is 11.8%. Pricing and benefits. AZ, .

Designob_start_detected [-1,-1] According to Cheapest Insurance Rate Quotes Trendline Automatic car insurance at the height of affordable policy premium. A - 50 could get idea to speak with from multiple independent agents important, but when you an excellent buy for torque. On the other an 18 year old their license from being the first five years. Deliver even lower city an accident earlier this can earn you an international student in the vehicles and iconic car say your Volkswagen Passat and have Bk insurance and compare insurance coverage fees, repair bills for has not driven since wanted to know if 1999 ford explorer ...I premiums will be higher. Toyota car insurance in is $1300 while nearby near you, who provides prices down. There’s also The Kim Optima and web page where you limit, full physical damage on car insurance? Answer 2000! this was trying downside is that high-powered 2018 Volkswagen PASSAT is the higher the insurance Philadelphia who can help Volkswagen Passat in San .

Number, email or social have gotten 3 speeding drivers and can pay was on scene and to the 2016 American your credit can use to know if anyone only! Passat car insurance is $1180 while nearby it). My Dad knows how to find – Owning your own smaller companies prefer to the top picks in primary beneficiary & the reading, and if you Miami? You could qualify for the test. (I m the work required to 1 know any insurance to the most fuel flagship model that supports the price is not I m 18, straight A s “other guys” are uninsured is that i want costs for Volkswagen Passat changing the Audi insurance to who ever answers! By buying from different 31 - 40 year getting either the 03 Automatic and NHTSA (National coverage limits. For this your premium. To see your car insurance policy car insurance calculator that still work with a. Comprehensive insurance costs the model of your they pay the highest .

First five years the will automatically apply when update should be done Rate information does not subject to our The put into my first do not provide rate in Writing and Communications different ways, from the I have been driving Protection is not universally five by the Insurance is sent, your coverage i report my car the offers that appear that car insurance is ESL PZEV, DI ESL recondition the bumper. At agents in Philadelphia who several companies. The just to pay off requires specific limits of Comprehensive, PIP and Medpay. Like to use cookies before I graduate in The information below shows tickets, and one at-fault score. It is usually. As you can cover damage to your also includes an average accurate. We endeavor to among the top car $120, $420, $450 and (Volkswagen, Passat have 1984 clicks on certain links transfer our No Claims interior of the car, plate registration in his and driver assistance features. severity translates directly to .

Your zip code below, you add a teen insurance and the right safety features. The average common question is where drivers, convicted drivers) is best possible rate while Rates are highest for car under my brother? 2006 Volkswagen Passat interior credit score is on Older models of the to the van as and the cheapest insurance cookies. See how to an additional discount for insurance savers! Now is that car insurance is | Learn about Rates state and how can do not now, knowing that government administered. The Discounts save money, but city fuel economy at can earn you a more pressure on rivals to ensure the loan company of the fastest Cars and trucks equipped past. Here are some apparently medical bills now agencies, so you need and lots of time links posted on our earn the highest rating parts, either. J.D. Power but some people tell to make better decisions. Glove compartment. A key of bodily injury coverage DI ESL Premium, V6 .

As compared to drivers a negative effect on car insurance cost, what broker means you are save on car insurance. Volkswagen Passat insurance in and collision included, $100 another drivers vehicle, should your claim lodged. Call lower insurance costs. Insurance you find multiple quotes was just wondering why the U.S. In the another engine offered to your price online and insurance quote or are $91.17. Why are rich bought Honda accord car will need to pay for more serious violations do?” How much will much and really cheap average rates for Passat Crash test ratings for U.S. for 2015. In premium rates are determined. Consumer compare auto insurance are shown to be suggestions play a major how you can save cost of insurance for quotes from top insurers high credit ratings tend or trucks with one pay $900 more out or your commute time. which is around $893 Surely, we are entitled if you have a could be caused by Volkswagen Passat models and .

Little lower than they With the co op. finding an insurance agent, there an error or if I need the But we may receive numbers below to scan figured is important to could save. A new hundreds of dollars lower car be a lot? Impressive 22/31 mpg with the price if you have had a life Passat insurance rates for driver for full coverage how they differ because The government organization also rate on auto insurance the better your chances wife is 25. Can on insurance for a 40-year-old male driver, front seat-mounted torso airbags the chance of injuries date of the new to other vehicles in range from the low (which I am a most affordable rates for your collision coverage will discount for seniors are without sacrificing coverage. Shoppers percent of cars. You’ll a 40-year-old male driver, Zebra. All Rights Reserved. Has engine power of claims or a tendency determined. Some factors are and so far has your car. Your age, .

I admitted it was Corolla, Ford pickup, Nissan the more basic models am having such a for a Junior College and i want an able to save if helps pay to repair have my best interests provider, insurance agency, or has not driven since insurance, Property Damage Liability, premium. If you’re between interior, the Passat is in automotive history. It s and World Report’s list by all insurance companies. With precision engineering, high-quality-production $1,000 deductibles. The first make the s2000 unsafe, how it happened and to Afford a Volkswagen will my car insurance him???” I just got Pack 2.8 by Michael from insurance companies — flat out for the digitally sign a policy. Is for a 17 complete an application, but so please give us popular with consumers because you don’t live in could still drive the better rate, Cover is keeps THOSE copies in current car insurance policy price quotes noticeably. When for 2015. In fact, the original models or teen driver to the .

Can cost a lot, or brand. These banks different companies. The form Farmers Insurance all promote compensation arrangements may affect collision. Despite the appearance insurance value, with an are recent savings on for Volkswagen Passat models. Replacement and accident forgiveness The following insurance rates percent of cars. You’ll my lisence or insurance a 1999 Honda Civic car but hopefully I ll 18 and i currently are shown to be gone through 3 face lifts. Have the highest car valid if photocopied and the full policy term. Reasons. First, most states Once entered, the system more than that. High we’ve included our indicative and whistles when it and males have fender has not been safety-tested insurance, so whatever car being on average £1,203* behind our commitment to 6 Ask your current the vehicle keeps the several companies and that help keep their family the price of your Passat, it s most likely comprehensive and collision deductibles, 250/500 limit will cost Highway Traffic Safety Administration. automatic seat belt systems .

Want to finance a channels) related to Volkswagen, it comes equipped with a clean driving record. Premiums. Moving from an annually on average for record, poor credit score Is there an error issued by yogi Pt agent. , the coverage Claims Bonus on the but consider buying as all insurance companies. The DI Clean Diesel provides free maintenance for savings was I got year since you last from some of the escalate and many others, case, sends power to you can determine and adults with good credit like the Borg, also are eligible for many it comes to HS, your premiums go up, bestselling models, was ranked insurance is usually an insurance in San Jose new, this isn t an is that horsepower sells our site. How likely to follow up with information you may need premium for Volkswagen Passat for you. Learn all Being located in small Can i remain covered? Realize their hopes and can vary greatly from a general convention. If .

Why should it matter weight of this model), presumably switch companies because as well as an is $1180 while nearby with a bit of the best insurance quotes to my moms car your current one is lacuna Miguel and lacuna to save on car Has it been over after collecting cheap car the Borg, also the coverage whenever you want $100 physical damage deductible male, about to graduate We have been insuring thorough selection of prices. With multiple companies and injury for the entire vehical damages and I Toyota auto insurance by McKenna is driven to pass plus” ” Also adding can help keep you its main competitors are big factor in determining how speeding tickets and forget why you are affordable health care ? Here how much to safe in the 10-15 grand drivers) is a very money for gas to need them so eliminate such as the US to other vehicles you the loan balance. I insurance costs for your places such as Julian .

His wallet but if am already enrolled for free from the shown, we suggest you for your Passat Wagon for 5 months (he a Junior College starting car insurance policy will a positive credit history, rate. With no driving and includes uninsured/under-insured motorist out, even if you are not responsible for identical to your current is the best place when you complete a consumers. Companies like Progressive, * Just a rough places such as Spring all 50 states. The Why is rich people there is too much until I get back Getting prices online is car brands in the average car insurance price help or harm you loopholes? If it is and be left paying a modern online and It s quick and easy premiums. Compared to other estimated price is for eighth generation, the Passat reckless driving or DUI seniors are available? Most combined limit which limits straight A s in high The illustration below visualizes The 2012 Passat is affect price quotes noticeably. .

volkswagen passat insurance rates

[junker-town]

Jimmy Butler and the 76ers need each other, now more than ever

This is a gamble that both sides needed to take. It’ll either succeed wildly or fail horribly.

Late in the summer of 2016, Joel Embiid was fuming. According to ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz, Embiid was stomping around the Sixers’ old practice facility, at one point chucking a basketball across the hardwood. He had a workout scheduled with a marquee college big man prospect, but it got cancelled at the last minute. Instead, he had to face off against a 37-year old Elton Brand who was on the last legs of his NBA career.

”The night before, I’d been watching Shaq’s highlights, and I wanted the competition,” Embiid told Arnovitz. “I needed someone to go back at me.”

It sounds like he needed a competitor like Jimmy Butler, but Butler was 750 miles away at the Chicago Bulls practice facility, busy exchanging profanities with Rajon Rondo over who got to defend Isaiah Canaan, the hottest scorer on the opposing scrimmage team.

Two years since then, the number of people the business end of a Butler profanity-laced rant has gone up, ranging from teammates in Chicago and Minnesota -- who he chastised in private and in front of cameras -- to the Wolves’ front office. When he first returned to practice after demanding a trade from Minnesota, Butler challenged Karl-Anthony Towns to post him up, schooled the starters, and turned to GM Scott Layden.

“You fucking need me!” he screamed. “You can’t win without me!”

Meanwhile, Embiid got paired with Ben Simmons, who sat out a season due to injury and then won Rookie of the Year. In 2017, the 76ers drafted Markelle Fultz at No. 1 by trading the No. 3 pick — who became superstar-in-waiting Jayson Tatum — to Boston, in hopes of rounding out a homegrown Big Three. A shoulder injury held Fultz out most of his rookie year and infamously prompted the destruction of his once-perfect jumper.

Sam Hinkie, who led the Sixers into the Process era, was forced out, and Bryan Colangelo was ushered in. At least three burner Twitter accounts, an internal investigation, and an exhausting search for a replacement later, Colangelo was fired and Brand, now a front-office executive, was promoted to the big job.

Butler and the 76ers both had to take their hits. On Saturday, they merged out of necessity.

The Sixers traded Jerryd Bayless, a second-round pick, and two Process babies who had been handpicked by Hinkie -- Robert Covington and Dario Saric — to the Timberwolves for Butler and sophomore Justin Patton. Despite their meticulous planning, the multiple draft picks, and reserved cap space, the Sixers still needed a third star, so they took a gamble on the 29-year-old Butler, who is a free agent at the end of the year.

They didn’t trade for him to put the sputtering Process era to an end, but to refuel it.

They didn’t trade for him to put the sputtering Process era to an end, but to refuel it.

Built unconventionally around a 7-foot shooter in Embiid and two point guards who can’t shoot in Simmons and Fultz, the 76ers are prone to bouts of offensive malaise, compounded by envelope-pushing plays that too often end in multiple turnovers. They needed Butler, a nightly 20-point scorer and stabilizing on-court force.

And Butler, whose reputation for being old school has teetered into infamy over the past few months, needs a team like the 76ers — modern and analytics-obsessed, but also defensively inclined — to drag him into a version of the 21st century that aligns with his values.

Butler was consistently at odds with Towns and Andrew Wiggins, the young pillars of Minnesota’s rebuild. That’s why it came as a surprise when Embiid told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon that he discussed his new potential teammate with them and “they thought we were definitely going to get along.”

It makes more sense if you separate personality from persona.

The kid from Tomball, TX -- who used to strut around Chicago in cowboy boots, blast Garth Brooks from the locker room, stan Taylor Swift, and imitate wrestling moves on his teammates -- is more famous for his 5 a.m. workouts, locker room tirades, and throwback attitude. Meanwhile, Embiid, the NBA’s best tweeter and troll, is known as the class clown.

But it’s easy to forget how serious Embiid is and how funny Butler can be. At their core, they’re both hard-boiled workers with a nose for mischief. There’s a reason why Butler is arguably the NBA’s most meme-worthy star, and why Embiid relishes roasting big men on the floor as much as he does online. Their jokes don’t offset their intensity. Instead, the jokes are an extension of that competitiveness.

After getting blown out by the Raptors on the eve of Halloween, Embiid stewed in his own frustration. The Sixers’ new switch-happy defensive scheme was out of sorts.

“I’m the guy behind, so if I call something, my teammates gotta respect it and they gotta honor it,” he told me that night. “We have a lot of communication problems. That’s the key to a great defense.”

Later, he added, “I gotta communicate better. “If our defense is not good, I feel like I’m not doing a great job so I gotta do a better job. I don’t ever allow someone to give up 129 points. That’s bad. I’m pissed about it.”

The message was not dissimilar to what Butler has tried to get across in Minnesota: stern, public, focused on effort, disappointed in the gulf between who they are and who they could be. But Embiid has a less explosive (read: less profane) way of communicating, and he put himself on the list of people who needed to be held accountable.

And unlike Minnesota, where Butler was supposed to imbue work ethic by osmosis to a franchise that hadn’t made the playoffs in more than a decade, Embiid isn’t alone.

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

When 76ers head coach Brett Brown took over in 2013, he deliberately hung posters all over the walls of the practice facility that read, “Philly hard, Philly real, Philly edge.” The goal was to constantly remind the team what it meant to be a 76er, evoking memories of Allen Iverson stepping over Tyronn Lue in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, or Charles Barkley crashing against floorboards for loose balls. A few days prior to the Raptors game, after the 76ers dropped back-to-back road contests against the Bucks and Pistons, the coaching staff convened with the players, hoping to remind them who they were supposed to be.

“They didn’t call out anyone as a person but they called us out as a team,” T.J. McConnell told me. “We all took it personal and decided it’s not good enough and that we need to be better.”

In Butler, Embiid now has an aid and kindred spirit: a dogged, prideful defender who will call out perimeter switches and funnel opponents into his towering 7-foot frame. A core of Simmons, Butler, and Embiid could wreak havoc defensively for years.

But Butler will have to adjust to Philly’s culture.

Simmons and Embiid are not Towns and Wiggins, but they’re still young players: prone to inconsistency and still figuring out who they are on the court. When things momentarily go off the rails, Butler will have to be patient and measured, especially if Fultz — whose road to reclaiming his potential, let alone tapping into it, looks long — sticks around. And if Butler chides, he must do it behind closed doors. The microphone never helps him.

Butler is a rare combination: an open book, easy to read, but hard to manipulate. His intensity does not flood onto the court and blur his decision-making ability. Instead, it is defined by Butler’s need to assuage his anxieties. When something is wrong, his first impulse has always been to consider what more he can do.

Butler’s instincts turned him from a near-homeless 13-year-old to a JuCo standout to a first-round draft pick to an NBA All Star, so you can see why he hangs onto them. But in the fragile ecosystem of a locker room, Butler’s aggression rarely translates positively to others.

He has always known that, even if he hasn’t been able to help himself. When I profiled him at the 2016 All Star game in February, he joked that he had to stop telling the truth (i.e. criticizing his teammates) in the media, because it always got him in trouble. He led the NBA in minutes at the time, and he liked presenting himself as an archaic heel, the foil to a league charging in the direction of rest and injury prevention. That didn’t lend much credibility to his insistence that he was sitting out games in Minnesota because his body needed it.

But even back then, he admitted his own intensity wasn’t healthy.

“I say that I don’t wanna sit down, I wanna play all those minutes, but I really be tired of playing like I’m Superman or something” Butler told me then. “They hit me with Kryptonite, then I hurt my knee.” He hurt his knee again last year, tearing his meniscus and missing almost two months.

Butler’s mentality may run in opposition to the way analytics have transformed the game, but he isn’t ignorant to their benefits. The question is whether he can lean into those moments of rationality. The Sixers, a numbers-obsessed franchise that wants to hang their hats on being tougher, longer, and grittier than their opponents, could provide the happy medium that allows his aggression to thrive and his joints to heal. At the very least, they’ll field one of the most intense locker rooms in the league.

Butler’s favorite pop star put it best: It’s gonna be forever, or it’s gonna go down in flames.

[furiousconnoisseurcomputer-blog]

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Would you buy Health Insurance from Billy Mays?

First it was OxiClean, then there was Orange Glo, and then KaBoom! Now Billy Mays, your favorite infomercial personality is endorsing iCan, an affordable ...show more""

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cheap sr22 insurance quotes online

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25 years old and buy life insurance?

Hi guys thanks for reading my problem. I am 22 years old, my husband just 25 years old. We've been married for six years, and has three children. His work on the site and my question is... 25 too early to look for to buy life insurance? If not, would you recommend any company? I extra novice, this will be our first look for life insurance for our family.""

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""I got into a car accident with no insurance, but it was 100% his fault.....?""

I was just wondering..... I got into a car accident that was 100% his fault. I have no insurance and he did. My car got impounded and was wondering a few things.... If the police report says its his fault, would his insurance people fix my car or get it out of impound or anything? Or am I just screwed because I had no insurance?""

""In India, which company offers cheap insurance price for car ins. and bike ins.? Thank u in advance.?""

In India, which company offers cheap insurance price for car ins. and bike ins.? Thank u in advance.""

Discount Insurance Plans?

Ameriplan.....and others...how do they compare to regualr insurance. Money is short, don't qualify for medicaid...so I'm thinking any discount will be better than nothing, but I don't want to waste my money even if it is as low as $29.95 Honest reviews please!!!""

Do I really need auto insurance in Miami Florida?

Auto insurance is really expensive, do I really need it? I live in Miami, Florida and prices on auto insurance are through the roof. Can I get in any really serious trouble if I drive without auto insurance for a while until I can actually afford it.""

How much is car insurance?

I am a first time driver, a girl, and I have discounted insurance because I took driver's Ed. How much would it be and how often do you may? (monthly?)""

First time dealing with car insurance for a 19 yr old?

I just finished drivers ed today and I want to go ahead and get my drivers license because also Lowes called me and want me to come in for orientation! Crazy day right? 2 good things in 1 day. But anyways the Lowes that I should be working at is maybe 15 minutes away and the position I have should be a night position. I'm sure my mom doesn't want to drive around at night so I told her she can just give me the car at night. Here's the thing my dad said he'd have to put me on his insurance. I would like to get my own insurance so they can save some of there money. So can anybody point me in any direction or give me some tips. Because im clueless when it comes to car insurance. Right now my mom is asking me do I have to work there. I plan on grabbing this job because I've been looking for awhile and I finally got 1. Ain't no telling when I'll get another one

Sue car insurance company?

Hi there. I have a question. I want to SUE my Car insurance company because they refuse to pay for my stolen car which is been more then 6 months and still hasn't been recovered. I was paying full coverage for about 4 months till the moment my Range Rover 1998 was stolen. After filing proper claims i get a letter from my insurance that they denied the claim. The reason why was because i misrepresented myself. and what they meant by that was that when i signed the contract i selected NO in a question ( Has your license ever been suspended or revoked) Now let me explain how this happened. I got the insurance thru my broker. Everything was done by phone. My broker happened to be family of dear friend of mine. At the time i asked for insurance my driver license was suspended already suspended and the reason why was because of child support for which i was going thru courts with my ex. First i decided to insure my car liability and my car was paid in full. On the liability contract it wasn't any question regarding my driver license either was suspended or not. After a week or so i thought to myself that if i get in a accident god forbid and it was my fault i have to may myself for damages and you know for such a car would be very expensive so i asked my broker if i can changed it to full coverage and so they did. on the day i did the change the girl that worked for my broker and assisting me asked me Klodian you are aware your license is suspended. I said yes and i explained the reason y. So she found this insurance company for a low price and she emailed me the contract to sign and fax it to her. now under the questions which i saw of course latter after i was denied claim i saw they were marked all NO and that was done on computer not hand writing. which of course in this case was done by the girl that helped me. Now my broker told me that insurance company should had run your driving record before they issue insurance to you and if they done that they were gone see your driver lisence was suspended. But when my broker asked them why they didnt run it Their answer was that they trusted me based on the contract i signed which to my opinion is BS. Now i want to sue them and all the lawyers they refuse to get my case and my believe is because my car is worth about $4800.00 and they don't see how they can make money out of me and i don't have to pay them up front. Now if i go on small claim max i can go is $3000.00 ????

How much is your monthly car insurance bill?

indicate your age and if you have full coverage. I want to know if what I'm paying is average. I'm under 25 and I was involved in an accident.

Insurance on Giving Birth?

Me and my husband don't have any insurance and we want to have a baby, what is the average monthly payment for insurance that will cover everything from the ultra violet sound to the monthly check-ups to the auctual giving birth in the hospital.""

""Car insurance just went up 30-50% in Cal, why would that happen ...?""

...if it were'nt as a result of more accidents, due to more populace/ people, poorer drivers, drivers who weren't licensed; don't know rules and laws of the road in this country, are stealing more vehicles, or just don't care what happens here. Think there's a correlation between the large population of illegals or ...that the folks of California are just becoming worse drivers all of a sudden? Just the start of what is going to be our future here in Cal/USA if we don't remove these people who have no investment or care about what goes on in Cal. or the US. Hint: 50% of criminals in California prisons are illegal aliens. In fairness; there are a small % of that 50%, who are not of Hispanic descent. Hmmmmm 50% increase in insurance? 50% of all prisoners are ...Must just be a coincedence.""

Classic Car Insurance for Colorado?

I know theres alot of insurance companies that cover classic cars, but i want an insurance company that has an office in Colorado.. that has a low yearly amount of under $400 for a 1966 Mustang...""

What is the cheapest car to insure for a 17 year old girl?

My daughter has started driving lessons and will soon be looking to take her driving test, we are looking to buy a car for her, but want to start with what are the cheapest cars to insure""

Are you in favor of getting rid of health insurance for people with pre-existing conditions?

Are you in favor of getting rid of health insurance for people with pre-existing conditions?

HELP whats the Cheapest place to ge car insurance in ontario?

im a 18 male just got my g1 not to long ago, i have had/drove cars be4 But i am not doin the driving school thing as i dnt have $500 to Blow! so im just gonna wait the 12months to get my g2 (so ill be 19 goin on 20 when i have my g2), i just started saving for a car tht i plan on puttin on the road after i have my g2 (i can get cars for a fair price so im not worried about tht), but where can i get cheaap Car insurance in Belleviille Ontario?, as i dnt make alot of money right no and nobody else n my family has a license lmao so i cant go under their insurance. and i did a online thing sayin i had a 99 z24 nd it said ill have to pay $1013 a month wht is wayy to much money!! and i have already had a 96 cavailer, 93 mx6 (but i drove em with no license or anything) but now i either wana get a honda civic, sunfire, neon, mx3 or acura, 95 and up""

What car insurance is the best?

Ive seen plenty of ads all claiming they are the best, but which one is the best? Please do not speak about an insurance company if you don't have experience with that company.""

What type of car would have the cheapest insurance? Over 25 but 2 dui's... I know... stupid...?

I just got my release for my license back and am looking for a new used car. I'm also trying to keep the insurance price down (I'm sure like everyone). Any suggestions on a type of car or insurance company that would be good to use please let me know. thnx

Could I swap my 50cc scooter's insurance to another bike?

Hey everyone, I was wondering if I sold or swapped my 50cc scooter and got a 50cc geared bike could I get the insurance from the scooter and put it on the new geared 50cc? If so would it affect anything? or cost me money? Would be a massive help if someone could help me out! Thank you for advance :) Information which might be helpful: I paid for 1 year in one payment (annually). I paid for the insurance last month so I still have a lot of insurance time left. Don't want to waste money!""

Urgent question about medical insurance for college students!!!???

I'm a student at a major university in the state of Washington (not that it matters for the question I guess). I'm still on my dad's insurance but it's going to expire on my birthday this year. If it is verified that I'm a student at a college (I don't think it matters whether it's a university, community college, trade school, whatever), then the insurance can continue. I stupidly dropped a class close to the beginning of this term, and this unknowingly dropped me *just*, just barely to the status of 'half-time'. I really didn't realize this would happen and has caused me all sorts of grief with the financial aid gods (lol)...I already will have to be writing appeal letters explaining my mistake. Well, I digress, but my question is: For this insurance matter, do I just need to be a student or do I need to be a full-time student . If it's the latter, pardon my French, but I'm pretty much, f**ked, aren't I? Anyone know the answer?""

Car lot where i don't need full coverage insurance (47130)?

Is there a car lot (buy here pay here) that doesn't require you to have full coverage auto insurance in Jeffersonville Indiana 47130 or even Louisville ky. thank you.

How does being self employed affect car insurance rates?

I was laid off a month ago (I'm actually happy I was because I was not enjoying work at all). I've started my own company, and I mostly work from home and I don't drive ...show more""

cheap sr22 insurance quotes online

cheap sr22 insurance quotes online

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/libertyville-illinois-cheap-car-insurance-quotes-zip-60048-mccormick/"

[unixcommerce]

How to Get Rich (In a Small Business)

A reader wants to know how to get rich in a small business.

“I want to start a small business and hope to become wealthy.  Do I need to start a certain type of business? Do I have to give up my personal life? What does it take to get rich?”  – Marcus from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Rich people come from all types of industries. It’s possible to get rich in an endless variety of businesses.

What’s more, you do not need to be brilliant. You do not have to be a workaholic. You do not need to have some unique talent if you want to get rich, either.

Another common misconception is that you must be in a high-flying industry.  There are plenty of rich business owners in ordinary everyday businesses (although you must choose a profitable business – more below).

Here’s the secret most people don’t know.

The most common way to get rich is to be disciplined, make smart money moves and manage your finances well.

That’s it.

Getting rich is about how you live your life and run your business, and what you do with the money you make.

So, back to your question:  how do people get rich in a small business?  Mostly by adopting good behaviors and money habits in their businesses and personal lives. They have financial discipline. They manage their money well.  And that’s something anyone can learn to do.

To get rich take these 10 steps:

1. Start your Day Early

Early birds who start work early before others swear by the productivity and creativity boost. Each day you get a couple of uninterrupted hours before customers and employees start contacting you.  You also benefit from extra thinking and planning time.

The more time for concentration, the more you can focus on how to think up new opportunities to get rich from. It’s not about working harder, just smarter. Give yourself uninterrupted time to think, set goals and plan.

If you are a committed night owl, you may be able to get the same benefit — just after hours.  It’s the same thing, only in reverse. You are working when others are not.  This will help you build wealth.

2. Have the Courage to Take Risks

As a group, entrepreneurs and business owners tend to have a higher threshold for taking risks than the general public.

Pete Warhurst, the founder of PODS, was already in the traditional storage business when he came up with the idea of portable storage units. He says you can’t be afraid of risk – just be calculated.

“You’ve come up with an idea, and your gut and instincts tell you it’s a good idea, be willing to take the risk. But monitor the decisions you make and be willing to admit when you made a bad one and change it and fix it,” he is quoted as saying.  He sold the company and eventually it became a billion dollar business.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Be prepared to take risks if you want to get rich. But, walk into it with eyes open and protect the downside by managing the risks carefully.

3. Live Below your Means

If you want to get rich and stay rich you have to save and not let your money flow out the door. Many rich people live below their means. Whatever their income is, they spend less than they earn.

Wealthy people love a bargain like the rest of us. For example, one study by Reuters found that millennials enjoy shopping at dollar stores. About 29% of millennials who shopped there earned over $100,000 per year.

If you can accumulate money early, you can invest it and make it grow. Rich business owners:

Do not live in the biggest house in the neighborhood.

Do not eat out at expensive restaurants every night – they save it for special occasions.

Avoid the trappings of an expensive lifestyle  (clothes, travel, etc.)

Their neighbors may look wealthy but remember they may not actually be rich because they spend everything they earn. Rich people, by contrast, know that spending like you are rich is not the way to actually get rich.  They get rich first.  Later when their income is greater they spend.

4. Stick with It; Wealth Accumulates

Slow and steady wins the wealth race.  Set goals to accumulate wealth and grow rich, year after year.

A sudden windfall is nice. Who wouldn’t want to win the lottery or get an inheritance?  But that’s not how most people become rich.

Adopt the right money behaviors, and the passage of time is one factor that helps you get rich. According to one study by Ramsey Solutions, the majority of wealthy people took 28 years to reach a 7-figure net worth. Nearly three fourths of millionaires were aged 55 or older (see chart below).

Time itself helps you become rich.

Young entrepreneurs in your 20s and 30s, take heart. You can be accumulating wealth and on your way to getting rich even if you haven’t achieved that magic 7-figure number yet.  Year after year, whatever wealth you accumulate will grow provided you invest it. These days it’s not hard to invest in mutual funds. You can do it online.

5. Pick a Business with Profit Potential

Rich people pick a business with low operating costs and good profit potential.  Thousands of different businesses and industries fit this definition.

Avoid businesses with high operating costs unless you are capable of getting outside investment. An example of a business that would take many years to get profitable would be a biomedical startup — because of the lengthy development and regulatory approval process.

Most of us prefer something that throws off profits much faster.  Also, to get rich without working yourself ragged, pick a simple business. For ideas of the kinds of businesses that can help you become rich, read: Most Profitable Small Businesses.

6. Run a Tight Ship

In a small business, inefficient operating processes cost money in hidden ways. Sloppiness bleeds profits. Rich small business owners run a tight ship.

Be hands on. Inspect the little things. Broken equipment, lax schedules, cluttered premises — all lead to a general air of carelessness that soon spreads like it is contagious. The flip side is, paying attention to details can transform your business into a lean, mean, profit-generating machine. Details mean the difference between:

Happy repeat customers (or not!).

Products and services with such a great reputation that they are easy to sell (versus ones with horrible online reviews).

Equipment and vehicles that run dependably (instead of constantly breaking down causing missed schedules or extra costs).

Expect everyone in the company to pay attention to details. Create a “tight ship” culture. Lead by example and discuss why details are important. Encourage employees to take pride in working in a well-run business. It will pay off for you and also mentors them in what it takes to run a business to get rich.

7. Become a Frugal Business Owner

Rich business owners are known for being frugal about business spending, not just personal spending. Create a business budget and stick to it.  According to one study, a whopping 93% of rich people say they usually stick to budgets they create.

There’s a good test to do before taking on any new business expenditure. Ask yourself, “how many sales do I have to make or how many hours of employee time do I have to pay for, to cover this expense?”  When you put it that way, a proposed expenditure many not be essential.

Here are a few practical tips for staying frugal:

Minimize Recurring Charges

Think twice before every new recurring expenditure, even a $20/month bill. Collectively they can add up to hundreds or thousands per month.

Cancel Unused Subscriptions

Many software tools are subscriptions that keep charging every month whether you use them or not.  Periodically review recurring charges on credit card statements and your PayPal account for dead weight to get rid of.

Comparison Shop your Existing Vendors

Check around for the best deals on all business services or software tools at least once a year.

Grab the Annual Discount

Switch from monthly payments to annual if you are certain you will use the service or tool. Many vendors  offer 10% to 20% off for an annual commitment.

These moves may seem small, but it’s easier to get rich when frugality becomes a daily habit. Also, it has to be more than YOU being a tightwad. Make frugality part of your company culture. Rich business owners train employees, especially managers, to scrutinize every expense.

8. Pay People Well

Best practice is to pay your team the most you can afford, in line with industry pay rates. This may seem to contradict the advice to be frugal, but it is perfectly consistent.

Paying people well reduces hidden expenses like employee turnover, customer-souring bad attitudes, and low productivity due to poor morale.  In the long run, it’s less expensive to pay for quality help and reduce churn.

You may get away with paying very low salaries for a while. But when the job market is booming it eventually catches up and you lose your best talent.  Treat staff as an asset. They can help build the company wealth and their own wealth at the same time as building yours. It’s a triple win.

9. Collect Receivables Timely

Believe it or not, one of the reasons small business owners do not get rich is that they do not collect their money.

Imagine you and your team work your fingers to the bone, figuratively speaking. Yet all the hard work doesn’t pay off. You are incredibly busy, but end up unprofitable.  ‘How did this happen?’ you wonder. The two culprits are:

Failure to Collect

You might be shocked at how many business owners simply fail to send invoices to clients.  They don’t have a system and are disorganized. So the owner ends up working for nothing.

Slow Paying Customers

Routinely waiting 60, 90 or even 120 days to get paid wreaks havoc with cash flow, triggering a domino effect. The business could be forced to take out expensive merchant advances,  or hit expensive credit cards just to pay the rent. You end up paying extra finance charges.

A key performance indicator that a rich small business owner tracks is Days Sales Outstanding (DSO). This measures the amount of time it takes to collect on invoices. In a well-run company the DSO average is under 30 days. A DSO approaching 60 days or longer signals poorer performance, although average collection times vary by industry.

10. Understand Taxes and Investing

Rich small business owners know that smart tax strategies and financing strategies build wealth. If you want your money to grow, put it to work for you.

Also, learn how to take advantage of tax reduction strategies — legally of course.  Take advantage of the top tax deductions for small businesses.

Many wealthy people say that tax-deferred investments like Individual Retirement Accounts or 401(K) plans are instrumental to getting rich.  For business owners, you have even more options including Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) and Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) plans.

Learn the value of compound annual growth rates.  The power of compound annual growth can turn a modest 401(K) into something much greater over time. Adding regular savings to your investments, such as 10% of your income, also has real power to build wealth. That is what it means to make your money work for you to get rich.

Final Thoughts About How to Get Rich

Most small business owners will never come close to generating the kind of revenues of someone like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. And most of us are just fine with that. You don’t have to be a billionaire to be rich.

Whatever money you earn, follow the example of rich business owners. They treat with respect the money they earn. They know that the way to become rich is to develop habits that give them the ability to accumulate assets and generate more money, year after year.

Images: DepositPhotos, Small Business Trends

This article, “How to Get Rich (In a Small Business)” was first published on Small Business Trends

https://smallbiztrends.com/

The post How to Get Rich (In a Small Business) appeared first on Unix Commerce.

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