darker-than-life

[darker-than-life]

Reno & Rude Parallel → sliding underneath Cloud’s sword

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i just think that characters with abilities finally letting out all their suppressed emotion and trauma which results in an unsettling display of their power (✿◕‿◕)

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// I’ve been a bit out of pocket the last few nights.  Work kicked my ass Friday/Saturday, then I had a bad bout of insomnia Sunday night.  I think I’m almost straightened back out though.

For those interested in staying in touch when I’m not on tumblr, you can hit me up on my discord (traxits#5080).

Or, if you happen to be playing Genshin Impact, you can add me there. UID: 622898773. <3

I should be back tomorrow afternoon though. I feel like I’ll actually manage to sleep tonight. ^^b

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stingslikeabee​:

Her comment had been a mere teasing, of course – but as expected, Reeve was always polite to a fault. Melissa sometimes doubted he was capable of saying anything truly hurtful or horrible to anyone, and that was one of the reasons he was so popular with her own girls: even when refusing company, he was pleasantly charming. It wasn’t as if any of them ever held a grudge against him – if anything, it had transformed the Urban Development director into a challenge.

But with her – the owner – things were different. He couldn’t very well dismiss the proprietress like that, and it would make very little sense for Reeve to come to the Honey Bee Inn if not for something only that place could provide – apparently it was the barbecue, but Melissa knew better. Director Tuesti was a terribly busy man – if he needed a break from his work, there were probably a dozen bars topside where he could have a good drink and amazing food, or meet beautiful ladies or even gaze at the skyline of all Midgar from the top of some panoramic restaurant.

No – there was something peculiar to her establishment that kept luring Reeve back, and Melissa was curious. There were times when she would use her charm to disarm certain guests and to extract information in-between unsuspecting bouts of laughter and commemorative toasts, but that was not one of them. The food she had chosen, the way her body language changed and the last touch – a brief moment of respite where she kicked off her heels, bare feet resting over the soft carpet before she adjusted on the couch, sitting over her bent legs as she often did when visiting the local Wutai restaurants in the neighborhood.

She was no queen bee for a moment – just a woman sharing a snack with good company.

“Really? And here I thought I was an expert at blending in,” she offered – but clearly as a joke, because in a room full of pretty girls in a honeybee costume, Melissa clearly dressed as glamorously as she could to distinguish herself from the other employees. “But contrary to popular belief, I’ll have you know that I don’t sleep in cocktail dresses – I actually have flannel pajamas, sweatpants and old hoodies for when I’m off-duty.”

She reached for the beer then – a sip of the cold beverage that did wonders to her throat, and eased the warm feeling of the inn a bit (it was never freezing cold indoors when the staff was never wearing much – a courtesy to the girls). “What about you, Reeve? You seem to come here to escape work for a bit, but I see you can’t leave your PHS alone for long. Do you get to loose your tie and roll up these sleeves at some point?”

Reeve tilted his head for a moment, and his smile widened slightly as he studied her.  He reached up then, fingers deftly pulling his tie loose and off to disappear into one of his jacket pockets.  He flicked open the top two buttons in a practiced motion, barely thinking about it.

He was aware, at least on some level, that he was seen as something of a challenge in the Honey Bee Inn.  He was always careful with the girls—more importantly, he was careful of their feelings—and he knew that more than one of them went out of their way to ensure his comfort on the evenings he spent down here.  He was no Palmer, of course, with a room on demand, but then, he didn’t need a room here.  It wasn’t what he came for.

He shrugged out of the jacket, taking only a heartbeat to move the PHS from it to his slacks’ pocket, and it pooled behind him carelessly.  Then he leaned forward a little on the table; one arm bracing his weight.  This was the most relaxed he’d been here in a long time, certainly since most of the girls who were here now had seen.

Melissa on the other hand…

Well, she remembered when President Shinra used to hold court down here on a more regular basis.  She was the only one who might have seen him like this before.

(Years ago now.  A lifetime.  He scarcely remembered the child he’d—they’d—been.)

He picked up his whiskey for another easy drink, and as he lowered the glass back down, he glanced up at Melissa.

“You only have to ask,” he replied.  “I can be persuaded to unwind from time to time.  I can even,” and here his voice dropped a little, his tone conspiratorial, “be persuaded to ignore my PHS periodically.” He chuckled as he took another of the soybeans, toying with it idly before eating it this time.  “Although, admittedly… Midgar is a demanding lady.”

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talesfantastic​:

“Be ready,” Lazard warned with a smile. “They like having new, interesting things to take off the board. Bonus if they get to explore places usually off limits or apply themselves in ways they haven’t before. They thrive off new challenges, Reeve, I cannot stress that enough.”

He knew, even if Reeve didn’t, that this was going to be a success. It would just take time.

He smiled back, shaking his head. “I’ll let you think that, then. Whatever it takes to keep the missions coming.”

"Believe me, I can find them work."  Reeve laughed faintly at the thought.  It was an almost dangerous admission, but here in the executive break room at such an early hour... It didn't feel that way.

He didn't think Lazard was the type to take advantage of it at least.

"But I have to admit, offering your boys work wasn't exactly what I was expecting you to need from my department."

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talesfantastic​:

“You mean you haven’t already?” Genesis clucked his tongue, smile firmly in place and pointedly not watching the way Reeve leaned, wondering how much was comfort or habit verses fatigue. He’d get him home soon, and that would be that. Nothing to worry about then, once he’d gotten some well earned rest.

“Almost,” Genesis murmured, the word on a breath and lips scarcely moving as he too watched the tick of the numbers. At a more normal tone he said, “I’m accommodating; I tell him what he needs to know and don’t bother him with the extras.”

Almost indeed.

"Considerate of you.  I'm thinking he needs a wine basket for his office."  Reeve's smile widened, and he went ahead and pulled his PHS from his pocket.  It would sell the teasing if he appeared to actually be ordering something.

Although... No, Lazard probably didn't actually need a wine basket.

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// Ugh. Someone tell me I don’t need to add Tseng to this blog. I already have Reeve and Reno.  Reno doesn’t even have a thread going yet. (Yet being operative there. I’m working on some starters.)

...

And yet, I still really want to write Tseng. Ugh.

[darker-than-life]

talesfantastic​:

Genesis laughed at the gentle teasing, tucking his phone away and idly toying with the keys. “Of course I know how, Reeve. I just don’t unless it suits me. Cat, you know.”

Which wasn’t entirely true, he behaved for Lazard even when it didn’t suit him to, but work was an entirely different thing than being about with friends. And on that note - “I ‘misbehave’ just as much as I need to, and no more. It’s very calculated.”

Usually. Mostly.

“Is that what you tell your director?”  Reeve shook his head slightly, and he leaned back against the glass of the elevator as he watched the numbers tick down.  “The poor man.  I should send him a gift basket to express my sympathies.”

Reeve didn’t look up at the camera, but he would be glad when they got into the garage, and even happier once they were in his car.

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talesfantastic​:

“We’ll need duplicates either for syncing with each other, or for networking, if you want to start with either of those,” Genesis suggested. “Normally I suggest something mundane for learning work like that… Restores, Walls - defensive and curative things.”

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. If he knew what the other person was capable of, he’d absolutely throw in offensive materia. But Reeve was a wildcard he didn’t quite know what to do with yet.

“Of course, it’s harder to see those in action,” he admitted. “Is there anything you’re particularly comfortable with?”

Reeve considered that as he shut the trunk of the car. “Wall is probably the easiest to test things with, even if, by its nature, it will be subtle. Given the option...”

He raised an eyebrow as he looked back up at Genesis. “I hear you have a particular comfort with fire... but this place wasn’t designed for training with fire materia.  That’s not one anyone outside of the welding teams uses, and they have their own training place in one of the scrapyards.”  He nodded toward the first cabin.  “My own preference is bolt, and we have a space set up for that already, if that works for you?”

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Reno: Rich people should get robbed at least once a week.

Rufus: Why? 

Reno: Builds character.

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// Less than an hour into my workday, and it’s already a disaster. Someone save me. T_T

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“C’mon, Chief. Haven’t been written up yet.  You wan’ t’ make me play hard mode, yo?”

Basically what HR hands to him.

[darker-than-life]

Meta: Reno and Loyalty

This meta has been a really long time in coming, to be honest, but it's kind of tricky just because of how much I have to actually cover in it, and because I write a very... fluid Reno, I guess?  And what I mean by that is that I am very quick to modify my Reno's backstory to fit in with my partner's stuff.  Especially when writing with a Rude or a Tseng or a Veld, because all three of those characters have the potential to massively impact his character development.

So. For the details... below the cut.  Warning, there's some dark topic mention (I mean, Turks, okay?) and this is very long, because I touch on his history, and I kind of go into his relationships with authority figures, and I go pretty in depth in why he's such a lost soul post-game.

Basic Premise

First of all, think of Reno's loyalty as a switch.  It's either on, or it's off.

Hierarchy of Loyalty

Second, his loyalty is a very short list.  For the sake of simplicity, I'll go with my "default" Reno here, which is to say, Reno when I am not writing specifically with a Tseng or a Veld.

1. Tseng. (More on this under the "Why Tseng?" section.)    a. Rufus Shinra.    b. Turks.    c. The Shinra Company.

That's literally it.  You'll notice that everything is a subcategory.  It's because those letters are things that Tseng has told Reno he should be loyal to. Things that Tseng has told him he has to protect or obey.

A side note, my Reno will always confirm orders with Tseng.  Even if they're from Rufus or the old President or Heidegger.  His eyes flick over to Tseng, wait for that confirmation, and then he does as told.

(Now, for those keeping track who remember me mentioning his sisters, let me just say, they are outside of this ranking system, and they are basically always first in his priorities.  There are exceptions to that, however.)

Why Tseng?

Basically, because Tseng is the one who recruits him in my default verse.  Now, if I'm writing with a Tseng or with a Veld who thinks someone else recruited Reno, that's going to drastically change Reno's characterization, and it would, in all honesty, change several canon events.

For example, if Veld recruits Reno personally and brings him above the Plate, you're looking at BC happening ... very differently.  Reno would not take Tseng shooting Veld very well, to put it mildly.  He would either have to be in on it, or he'd probably go rogue and attack Tseng and flee the company with Veld's "corpse."

Unless, of course, he was under prior orders not to.  Because here's the thing.  Whoever Reno is most loyal to, can literally give him any orders they like, and he will follow them, no matter what he thinks personally of them.

"Go kill this person."  Not a problem.

"Torture this woman."  Let me get my torture kit.

"Kill this small child."  Got a preference how you want it done?

"Drop the Plate and kill thousands of people."  Sure thing, Boss.

Reno doesn't trust his own sense of justice anymore.  He never has, really. He knows his own moral code is horrific, and he knows that honestly, he simply can't be trusted to make ethical decisions.  So he leaves that in the hands of those who have more experience.  In the hands of someone that he trusts.

And he does trust Tseng.  Tseng saw something valuable in him.  Saw that he could be more than another rat in the slums.  Tseng brought him Above Plate and taught him and trained him and pretty much didn't treat him like he was stupid.

Reno would do anything for Tseng.

(And if you're a little baffled as to why getting Reno out of the slums is such a big deal... well.  I probably write Midgar's slums darker than you think of them.  I've noticed that's a common problem I have here on Tumblr.  At some point, I'll do a meta about the Midgar slums, but that's probably going to be even longer than this one is, so it'll be a while.)

After Veld's Death

Now, this is basically the beginning of Reno's fall.  Up until that point, nothing Tseng has done has ever contradicted the list Tseng laid out to him.  Tseng's orders, then Rufus's, then the Turks, and finally, the Company.  And then Tseng "kills" Veld.

And he does it for the Company.  He kills one of the Turks because the Company has told him to.  After everything they did to try to save Veld, to keep him.  Tseng throws it all away and Reno can't... He can't see Tseng's play there.  He thinks Tseng did it to keep the rest of them safe, but what "rest of them" is there?  Tseng, Reno, and Rude?  Gun's little sister that they want to recruit who professes to hate them all?

He can't see the value in what Tseng's done, mostly because he doesn't know that Veld is alive at that point, and it starts to crack his blind faith in Tseng.  Suddenly, Tseng isn't the grandmaster moving all the pieces, he's just a guy struggling to stay afloat.

Reno has two months to wallow in that while they're suspended.

And then Reactor One blows. And they're given their first real assignment after being reinstated, and it's to blow the Plate.  And so help him, but he looks at Rude and he looks at Tseng, and he realizes that neither of them can handle it.  Rude's soft in ways that Tseng and Reno aren't, and Tseng...

Well. Reno's just had a very real moment of realizing that Tseng is very mortal.  Very human.  Just as liable to crack as any of them are.

Cue Reno nearly dying from the fight with Cloud and Tifa and Barret (because remember, canonically, he's badly wounded enough that he's out of commission between Sector Seven and Junon) and Elena is hired on purely because Reno is out.

(Which is a whole other meta honestly: Why is Reno so hard on Elena? Because she's him.  Slum kid in over their head and desperately wanting to prove themselves? She's him, and on top of that, she's his replacement.)

And then Tseng nearly dies and Meteorfall happens.  They're rushing to evacuate Midgar, to try to salvage something, and the more the world falls down around them, the more desperately Reno holds onto what he has left of the Turks, and then...

They show up.  All of them.  Not dead, just gone.  Because being a Turk doesn't mean shit, and apparently, what was the point of the stupid family thing that Tseng had sold him, when he has living proof that none of the others cared?  They walked away.  They left Reno and Rude and Tseng to deal with whatever punishment the Company decided to dish out, and they only bothered to come back because the world was ending.

Reno's world is upended. Shattered.  He's twenty-five, and he's just had everything he's spent the last... ten years or so defending thrown back in his face.

Post Meteorfall

Reno's loyalty to Shinra and his own sanity are both at their absolute weakest after that.  He should be seeing a Company mandated shrink, should be getting pressure from Tseng and Rude and Elena about his nightmares and the fact that he's sleeping even less than normal, but the fact is, they all have too much on their plate.

Reno stays with Shinra because he has nowhere else to go, not because he's a genuine believer anymore. That's broken.  It was broken the moment Tseng killed Veld, and seeing that it was all a sham, instead of restoring him, just makes it worse. But he can't leave.

(Who would take in the man who dropped Sector Seven?)

Now, I think, if left to his own devices, depending on what, exactly, Shinra is doing post-Meteorfall, Reno's faith could probably be restored.  He wants it to be.  But it would take work and concentrated effort that I don't think Tseng or Rufus or anyone else actually has the time or inclination to put in.

So he's just kind of drifting.  Trying to find something to fill that emptiness.

[darker-than-life]

stingslikeabee​:

@darker-than-life​ . from here

The relationship between the Honey Bee Inn and Shinra predated Melissa’s reign – it went further back even, to the years before she was brought over from the Sector 5 slums and still was known as Lilian, as innocent and ignorant about the hard truths of the Wall Market as any girl of her age had been. But once she started working there and met the regular patrons (the Directors and the President included), she started to form her own opinions about them.

As well as her own connections with them – even more so after buying the place. And while the intentions of most of the executives had always been somewhat clear (Director Palmer was one of their top-ranked clients, after all, enough to have all the staff calling him by his first name and one of the premium suites always reserved when he called in advance), there were others which were more of an enigma – such as Reeve Tuesti.

Now, Melissa knew Reeve visited for some of the other pleasures the inn offered – such as the food, the ability to take a breather from the Shinra halls and their routine and just relax for a moment (although she was willing to bet this was never easy for someone who was always working late as he was). And yet, there they were – two nighttime creatures, devoted to their jobs and who constantly had their paths overlapping.

And even if the inn proprietress was all smiles and honeyed words to some of the other guests who called over to say hello, her thoughts remained with the director. Melissa sipped some champagne herself with a lawyer from Sector 8 who was very excited about an upcoming IPO transaction and offering free drinks to all the girls to celebrate, then exchanged pleasantries with a hotel manager from Sector 3 who she shared some suppliers with (deliveries from the Icicle Inn area were just terrible these days, snowstorms were not letting up). Melissa made a final stop at a newcomer’s table to check whether things were going well with her girls and then headed into the kitchen.

She returned to the lounge once she was satisfied things were under control and then gestured to Erika from across the room – the madame herself was taking a break from floor management for a moment and leaving things with her senior staff.

Melissa then went back to Reeve’s booth with a bowl of snacks and a beer in hand – not her typical drinks while on the job, but she felt like having one with some edamame. Grinning at the Director when rejoining him, she pushed her offerings closer to him and allowed herself to transition to a more at-ease posture – Reeve was a guest, but one she knew she didn’t need to be so guarded around. A kindred spirit sense, perhaps.

“You can pretend I’m not even here. I just wanted to have a break with some snacks but Charlie will have me out of his kitchen in five seconds if I stay inside while he’s working,” a wink followed before she helped herself to some of the soy beans from the bowl, fingers working to squeeze them from their shell with ease, “So bossy. But, between you and me… I heard his boss is just as bad.”

In the time that she took circulating the room, one of the girls had refilled his whiskey, and Reeve had lost himself for a moment in checking his PHS, triaging the barrage of emails that never seemed to stop. Most of them were little more than internal communications where he had been carbon copied more as a threat than because his input was actually needed.

There were of course exceptions to that, including the newest branch of lunacy from Heidegger and Palmer, wherein they wanted to pitch the Department of Engineering.  As though Urban Development didn’t already handle that.

Then Melissa emerged from the back, and Reeve glanced up just in time to realize she was planning on joining him.  With a beer instead of the wine or champagne he was far more used to seeing her with.  He put away the PHS, and he matched her grin as she set the bowl down.

Her voice was easy again (still), and he couldn’t help but chuckle at her teasing.

He reached for one of the soybeans himself, shaking his head.  “Charlie is a wise man.  There’s a saying about too many cooks in the kitchen, isn’t there?”  He put the edamame into his mouth and pulled the shell out letting the beans pop into his mouth in the motion.  “But really,” he added after just a moment, “I think it would be next to impossible to pretend you’re not here.”

[darker-than-life]

Send 🍁 + Any question you’ve been curious to know about my muse!

Could be absolutely anything. Don’t be shy!

[darker-than-life]

talesfantastic​:

Genesis hummed thoughtfully, getting out and stretching a moment with a sigh. All in all, not too bad. That road might need something done about it, though… a good demonstration to Reeve about what he was dealing with, perhaps…

For now, he went back and grabbed his bag, shouldering it with a thoughtful hum. “Well, I suppose it’ll certainly do for the night. And perhaps for a bit of play, if you’re still up for it?”

Reeve pulled out both his bag and his laptop case, and he glanced up with a little smile.  "I'm certainly up for it.  I have to admit, I’m intrigued with this multicasting theory."  The thought of syncing his magic to Genesis' was still a little unsettling, but by now, he'd turned it over in his head enough to be ... excited at the prospect.  He'd felt out, as subtly as he could manage, the edges of Genesis's magic, and while it felt nothing like his own, it was certainly far richer than the average materia user.

"I assume you'll want some duplicate materia for the ah... play."  His smile widened at the word.  "Have any preferences as to which kinds we use?"

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talesfantastic​:

Genesis hummed without making any promises whatsoever, beyond, “I’m not giving him anything to use against you, if that’s the concern.”

He didn’t think it was, the pair were friends whatever else was going on, so any  teasing would be friendly. He got a text back and smirked, typing back quickly. “Mmm…. he happens to think I’m doing the right thing.”

Well. Paraphrasing, but that was the honest gist of it. He finally looked up, saw the keys, and smiled as he took them gently. “Thank you. I’ll be good, just for you.”

Lazard would likely message him later then, just to be sure that Reeve was okay, and Reeve wondered if he shouldn't pre-emptively message him.  Maybe in the car.

"Do you know how?" he asked, but there was only warmth in his voice.