#Anon Rufus: In Charge

[rottenpumpkin13]

Can we have a company party night that Rufus was out in charge of? He organized everything properly and now the actual event has come. All the Turks and SOLDIERs are present along with directors and a bunch of popular celebrities. What happens?

The Company Party From Hell #2

• Rufus has been tasked with hosting Shinra's annual charity ball. The event area at the HQ has been transformed into an opulent party, with all of Midgar’s elite invited to drink and dance as they please. It's the event of the year and everyone wants to be in attendance. 

• Almost everyone. 

*Angeal and Genesis drag Sephiroth into the ballroom, each of them holding one arm* 

Sephiroth: I'm going to scream for help and embarrass you both. 

Angeal: I once had to drag Genesis kicking and screaming from the book store after they sold out the last Loveless graphic novel. Nothing fazes me anymore. 

Genesis: Please, as if I kick and scream when—SON OF A BITCH! SHE SHOULD HAVE KILLED YOU WHEN SHE HAD THE CHANCE! 

*Sephiroth stops struggling, he and Angeal look at Genesis like he's insane* 

Angeal: What the hell was that? 

*Genesis pulls his hair back to reveal wireless earbuds on both ears* 

Genesis: I'm listening to a soap opera finale. I cannot miss it, so this is my brilliant solution. 

Sephiroth: Don't you think people will notice when you start having meltdowns? 

Genesis: What? I'm being so quiet. No one will notice a thing—AH HA! I KNEW YOU SLEPT WITH HIS MOTHER! 

*Everyone turns around and looks at Sephiroth and Angeal* 

Sephiroth: This is going to be a long night. 

*Zack comes bouncing up to them, happily drinking a flute of champagne* 

Zack: Hey guys! What's going on? 

Sephiroth: I slept with Angeal's mother, apparently. 

Zack: Cool!

Angeal:

• The four of them split up, Sephiroth and Angeal refusing to be anywhere near Genesis. They find a table and watch the party go by, talking to celebrities and other execs when the need arises. All is well, but Angeal keeps checking his phone and Sephiroth is getting suspicious. 

Sephiroth: Are you waiting for a call? 

Angeal: Actually, a text. 

Sephiroth: From who? 

Angeal: You might judge me, but I accepted an anonymous request to punch Rufus in the face. I'm waiting for the text from the anon so I can put the plan into action. 

Sephiroth: I can't believe you would agree to something like that. 

Angeal: They're paying me 10,000 gil. 

Sephiroth: I can't believe you didn't ask for my help and agree to pay me 5,000 gil. 

Angeal: 

Sephiroth: What's the plan? You simply go up and punch him in the face? 

Angeal: Uhh…I'll let you know when I get the text. Just don't tell Genesis. 

Sephiroth: Bold of you to assume I would go anywhere near Genesis. 

*They turn around to look at Genesis, who's seated at the next table with Tseng and Lazard* 

Genesis: WHY WON'T YOU ACCEPT HIM AS HE IS?

Tseng: Genesis, is something the matter? 

Genesis: HE LOVES YOU, YOU IDIOT!

*Lazard turns to Tseng* 

Lazard: What is he talking about? 

Genesis: HE LOVES YOU. YOU'RE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER, WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THAT? 

Lazard: Tseng, I had no idea you harbored such feelings for me. 

Tseng: What!? Genesis, what—

Genesis: Ah, I see how it is. *Genesis stands up* You are in love with his brother. You're having an affair.

*Lazard turns to Tseng, alarmed* 

Lazard: The Vice President??? 

Tseng: I don't know what he's talking about. 

Genesis: Two sick individuals you are, fooling around behind his back. 

*Genesis promptly leaves when Zack comes back with their drinks. Lazard turns to Tseng*

Lazard: How dare you have feelings for me while you fool around with the Vice President. 

Tseng: 

*Back at Sephiroth and Angeal's table, they continue to watch*

Sephiroth: Should we do something? 

Angeal: We should've locked Genesis in a broom closet thirty minutes ago. 

• Meanwhile, Zack and Genesis are walking around the party when Cissnei comes up to them in a hurry.

Cissnei: I need one of you to do me a huge favor. 

Zack: Sure, what's up? 

Cissnei: The target I've been tracking for weeks is here at the party, but I need to go undercover as a man to get near him. Can one of you switch outfits with me? 

Zack: But you're wearing a dress!

Genesis: I would do it, but unfortunately I'm too busy listening to—I KNEW IT! I KNEW SHE WAS PREGNANT! 

*People turn around to stare at Cissnei* 

Cissnei: What's with him??

Zack: Don't judge him. Let him enjoy his soap opera. 

Cissnei: I don't have a lot of time! Zack, can you please switch with me? 

Zack: Ahh! Fine, but you owe me! 

Cissnei: I know, I know. Come on, I'll help you into this dress 

*Cissnei grabs his hand*

Genesis: HE GOT HER PREGNANT? 

*People around them gasp and stare at Cissnei and Zack* 

Zack:

Genesis: Apologies, dear, maybe I can help by doing your makeup so you blend in with the feminine crowd. 

Zack: You think that'll work? 

Genesis: Of course. I've also got a wig in my emergency makeup kit, so we're all set—SHE LIED. SHE'S NOT PREGNANT. SHE'S SCAMMING HIM FOR MONEY THAT WENCH! 

*People gasp and stare at Cissnei*

Zack: Dude, I can't believe you'd like to me about your pregnancy. 

Cissnei: 

• Meanwhile, Sephiroth and Angeal have just separated Lazard and Tseng from a fight that escalated into a physical altercation. 

*Genesis walks up to them with a very pretty girl in a glittery blue dress and long black hair*

Genesis: How's your night going? I just helped Zack—*gasp* HE GOT MARRIED TO HIS MOTHER! 

*The bartenders and other people at the bar turn to look at Sephiroth and Angeal* 

Sephiroth: Genesis, are you going to introduce us to your friend? 

Zack: It's me! I look hot, right? 

Angeal: WHY ARE YOU IN A DRESS? 

Zack: I had to switch outfits with Cissnei so she could infiltrate a group of men in disguise. 

Sephiroth: You're a good friend. 

Zack: Thanks! 

Angeal: Why couldn't Genesis wear the dress? 

Genesis: AND NOW THEY'RE HAVING A FOURSOME. 

*The people at the bar gasp and look at the four of them* 

Angeal: Never mind.

Zack: Hey man, what show are you watching? It sounds intense. 

Genesis: SHUT UP. SHUT UP. I KNEW SHE WAS A BITCH. 

*At that moment, Rufus Shinra himself passes by and overhears this conversation*

Rufus: Rhapsodos, why are you screaming at our lovely guest? 

Genesis, ignoring him: BECAUSE SHE FAKED A PREGNANCY TO SCAM HIM FOR MONEY, HAD AN AFFAIR WITH HIS BROTHER, AND IS NOW HAVING A FOURSOME. 

Rufus: Oh my god. Is this true? 

*Rufus turns to Sephiroth* 

Rufus: Did this woman fake a pregnancy to scam you for money? 

Sephiroth, nodding: And had an affair with Angeal, yes. 

Angeal: WHAT? 

Zack: Hang on, I didn't do any of this! I'm Zack, I'm just wearing Cissnei’s clothes. 

Rufus: It's alright, miss, I'm not judging you. 

Zack: No, I really am Zack. 

*Tseng walks by* 

Zack: Look! Tseng can vouch for me. 

Tseng: Excuse me? 

Zack: Tseng, tell Rufus I'm really Zack in disguise.

Tseng: I'm sorry, I don't know you. You do look familiar though. 

Genesis: I can't believe this. I finally understood the full story. He was in love with him, but started having an affair with his brother behind his back. And now he got a woman pregnant. 

*Lazard is walking by and overhears this*

Lazard: I KNEW IT. I KNEW IT. TSENG, HOW DARE YOU CONFESS YOUR FEELINGS TO ME WHILE HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT? 

*The music stops, the whole party gasps and are now watching this go down* 

Tseng: I have no idea what you're talking about. 

Rufus: This isn't what it looks like. 

*Lazard gestures to Zack*

Lazard: AND NOW YOU'VE GOTTEN THIS WOMAN PREGNANT. 

Zack: I'M NOT PREGNANT. I'M NOT EVEN A GIRL. LOOK!

*Zack rips off his wig* 

*Everyone gasps* 

Sephiroth: I think there's been a misunderstanding. No one's pregnant, no one's having an affair with anyone, and no one is involved with anyone's mother in any way. 

Angeal: Yes, if everyone will please calm down, we can sort this out without fighting. 

*Angeal gets a text notification on his phone* 

Angeal: 10,000 gil here I come. 

*Angeal punches Rufus in the face, the crowd gasps* 

Zack: WHY DID YOU DO THAT? 

*Rufus is bleeding* 

*Genesis is still listening to his soap opera*

Genesis: HE JUST CALLED HIM AN ILLEGITIMATE BASTARD. 

Lazard: THAT'S IT!

• Lazard flies at Rufus and the two start brawling on the ground. Tseng and Lazard rush to pull them apart, but this ends up creating an even bigger fight when both Turks and SOLDIERs start attacking each other. The party quickly descends into chaos.

• Angeal pulls Sephiroth and Genesis out of there. 

Angeal: Happy, Genesis? Look what you did!

Genesis: Me? You're the one who punched Rufus in the face! 

Angeal: Yeah, but I got paid to do it! 

Sephiroth: Speaking of which. 

*Sephiroth pulls out a wad of gil from his pocket—10,000 gil* 

Sephiroth: Angeal, here's the money you were promised. 

Angeal: 

Genesis: 

Sephiroth: Yes, I believe this is what is called a plot twist. 

[icarusbetide]

On the topic of people with whom hamilton had.. interesting relationships with, do you think him and bobby troup had something going on in college

hey anon! i'm going to be a spoilsport and say that i don't think there's enough for me to suspect anything between them. but the flip side to "we don't know enough :(" is "we don't know enough ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)". they could've been going through the girls-kissing-for-fun-at-sleepover experience as roommates and we'd have no idea, would we?

but what i do know is that they had a life-long, deep relationship that survived a war and all the interpersonal hurdles that comes along with their new york circle being 10 people in a trenchcoat. undergrad roommates at king's college, similar orphan-background. they formed a debating club together, and troup probably saw hamilton's political thoughts on the british-american conflict mature firsthand. later, he had thoughts on philip, on hamilton's financial situation, on how much hamilton charged his clients - he was very intimate and close with the hamilton family at large.

there is recent speculation on whether or not troup "losing" hamilton's youthful poetry that he had been gifted might suggest that the poetry had suggestive material, à la laurens letters. but i don't know why troup would have even brought it up if he had destroyed or tampered the poetry. it seems more likely that he genuinely lost track of the papers and regretted losing them.

i do find it superbly interesting that troup was close to burr as well as hamilton, although i've heard conflicting things on the period and overlap of the friendships, and how troup felt about burr after the duel. there is a very dramatic theory that troup might have been involved with both hamilton and burr.

two of my favorite anecdotes are about them fussing over each other.

troup giving ham updates to rufus king in his 1802 letter, where he goes "Hamilton is closely pursuing the law, and I have at length succeeded in making him somewhat mercenary. I have known him latterly to dun his clients for money, and in settling an account with me the other day, he reminded me that I had received a fee for him in settling a question referred to him and me jointly. These indications of regard to property give me hopes that we shall not be obliged to raise a subscription to pay for his funeral expenses."

i love it because it's so very clearly a close friend fond and amused, you know? "he reminded me that i owe him his fee! the progress!"

2. the fact that troup was the last visit ham made before the duel, and it was him being a mom friend again? troup himself was very sick, and he later recounted that ham showed up and basically gave health advice with such cheerfulness that troup had no idea what was about to happen the next day. it's so very tragic.

"But the whole tenor of the General’s deportment, during the visit, manifested such composure, and cheerfulness of mind, as to leave me without an suspicion of the rencontre that was descending."

tldr: at the very least, a decades long friendship between two people that seemed to have complimentary personalities - the calm to hamilton's storm, in some ways. one of ham's steadfast friends who contributed greatly to the subscription for hamilton's funeral and support for his family. was there more? youthful experimentation, perhaps? let's bring them back and ask.

[saintsenara]

What are your thoughts on Kingsley Shacklebolt/Severus Snape?

Ps. Your Snirius fic is top tier and it's only chapter one :)

thank you very much anon - especially for the shoutout to the war of the roses!

i actually quite like this one - largely because, as with severus snape/arthur weasley, i think that kingsley's general pragmatism, periphery to the marauders' generation, and easy-going vibe would mean that he wouldn't be as susceptible to the automatic mistrust of snape that we see not only among sirius and lupin but also among characters like moody who were adults during the first war, who i can imagine are not keen at all on rubbing elbows with a tenuously-acquitted death eater.

which also means that snape is likely to be much fonder of him than he is of much of the rest of the order - especially since i prefer to imagine kingsley as having been in a house other than gryffindor.

and, actually, i think they have a few significant things in common. kingsley is clearly extremely principled and willing to endure difficulty on account of his principles [i.e. when he's forced to go on the run in deathly hallows] - and that's kind of snape's whole vibe. both are evidently able to move easily in the muggle world - even if snape is less happy about this than kingsley - and a shared understanding of what it's like to straddle the divide between the magical and the muggle is something i can see being really significant for both. and - above all - both have a genuine fondness for messing with people.

as i've argued while trying to make kingsleymort happen, kingsley clearly really enjoys pulling the wool over the eyes of the state when he's in charge of the hunt for sirius, and i can very much see how a slightly vindictive enjoyment of making people who think they're so clever reveal themselves to be anything but is something which motivates him while he's looking rufus scrimgeour dead in the eye and insisting sirius is in tibet.

snape obviously has this quality in spades - him saying the quiet part out loud when he's running rings around bellatrix in spinner's end and directly asking her if she's really going to dare to suggest to him that he might be fooling voldemort about his loyalty always sends me - and i can see the two of them very much enjoying delighting in the misfortunes of others for the rest of their lives.

[sometimesrufus]

Aaaaaand finally we catch up @reno2ndgun​ 

NSFW below.

“No.” Rufus’s denial was absolute. “Tseng is right, and I won’t jeopardize your recovery for this. I’m a patient man, Reno,” he purred in the redhead’s ear. “I can wait to take you apart.” That said, he saw no reason not to give the man what he asked for and tightened his hold on his crimson hair, tugging intermittently as their tongues danced. He gasped softly as Reno bit and licked at his neck, goosebumps rising down both arms. Chasing the sensation, he held the Turk’s face to his neck for a few more moments before the heat rising in him became unbearable. He pulled the other off of him by his hair and let go, taking the moment to pop the buttons of his jacket and shrug out of the sleeves.

In one smooth motion he swung a leg over Reno’s lap, straddling him, shallowly thrusting into those long fingers as they increased their speed. He was still too warm, but he ignored it for the moment. He pressed Reno back against the couch with one hand, and trailed the other down that pale expanse of chest, pausing when his fingers snagged against the first button of his dress shirt before popping it free. He repeated the process until his fingers grazed low on his abdomen, touch ghosting across soft skin and taut muscle. He briefly skimmed his fingers below the waistband of black slacks as he leaned in and sharply bit at his pierced earlobe, then his neck. He kissed and sucked at his throat until it was sensitized, damp with saliva, and whispered, “Take as many vacations in my bed as you want.” He pulled back, smirking. “I’ll make them memorable.”

Intent on making good on that word, he finally opened Reno’s pants, only taking the time to slip off one glove before reaching down and wrapping his shaft in sure fingers, giving him slow, firm, strokes. The feeling it gave him was headier than the one provided by Reno’s hand. He closed his eyes for a moment, just appreciating the weight and feel of him, a soft hum radiating from his throat at the pleasure of it. The sound of the redhead’s voice grounded him a little, his words something of both a sting and a balm. If he only knew how long he’d been watching him… However, he let nothing of that manifest in his tone as he looked down at him through heavily lidded eyes and saucily inquired, “Only months?”

[reno2ndgun]

1 “Not everything has to be a public affair, Reno. Besides,” he sneered, “Daddy Dearest has most of the press in his pocket now.” His derision was short-lived, however, as Reno’s demeanor took a coquettish turn. Taking a calculated gamble, Rufus leaned back in his chair and slowly swept his gaze over the red haired Turk from head to toe and back up. He let a smile slowly curl across his lips. “Very good looking.”

 He pulled open his laptop while Reno settled in, keenly aware of his proximity, the faint scent of ozone that always seemed to accompany him. He opened his calendar and began sorting through his agenda for tomorrow, listening to Reno as he did so. Fortunately, it was a pretty light day, where he was concerned. He only had two meetings scheduled—one of which was with Tseng. He sent him a short message that he was going to take it easy tomorrow. That should appease him for a little while.

 By the time he’d finished submitting a request to reschedule his other meeting, Reno was nudging a pile in his direction. He’d only just begun scanning the first page when his commentary distracted him. He glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, chuckling deeply. “I should have you help me more often,” he commented dryly. “Paperwork is never this entertaining.” He returned his attention to the papers, working through them with relative quickness now that the duds were weeded out. 

 Finally closing his laptop and setting it to the side, Rufus placed an arm on the desk and leaned towards the Turk. “He gestured to Reno's shin with his free hand. "How's the leg? Don't think I didn't notice that grimace when you jumped up there."

Friendly flirting was honestly Reno’s bread and butter of the day. He was jovial, friendly and charming and now was no different.  When Rufus gave him a once over, he popped his collar, and bared his neck to be showy. “Love it when you smirk.” Flirting aside, Reno double checks his work and decides to underline ‘moron’ on each page he’s written it. He shouts so Tseng can hear him in the background on the voice message “I’m being good Boss I promise!!” When Rufus mentions his limp he squints. “You and that needle-vision need a vacation yo.” Needle vision had been Reno’s term of endearment for Rufus’s uncanny attention to detail that was so keen Reno was certain he could find a needle in a haystack if put to the test. He’d been using the term for years. Reno glared in mock irritation before sliding off the desk to land on his good leg. “S’ok yo-HNG! Ahm good. Just need a hot minute. ” He’d jostled it again and the Turk decided to take his booze in hand for a swig. Good old ‘Turk painkiller’ “Ha...ok . That’s a little better. Honestly, Tseng is making me take the month off. I could help you some more this week. Gives me something to do besides Drink and play darts in the Turks basement. He wants to put me in a cast but I don’t like the idea of immobility. Not even a little bit of it.”  Reno took up one of the ‘good forms’ that was going to be sent back to Reeve. “Let’s lighten up his day a little bit.” Reno did a quick fifteen minute sketch on the blank side of the paper forms of what could no less be described as  a fat little moogle. “Reeve is nice, Reeve gets moogles.”  He grabs a paper going back to Heideggar and sneers. “Ahhhhhhh....I wanna draw dicks but thats no good. Oh. I know.” He sketches a quick picture of Scarlet pole dancing. “Even better, the Lady he’ll never get yo! Whats even better is that these are coming from YOU, technically, so they can’t say shit. Childish, but I’ve been wanting to stick in in Heidegger’s nose for months.” Reno writes ‘Never gunna get it fatass’ next to the picture of Scarlet. “Aaaand outbox! I try to keep things fun. The investigative work gets monotonous otherwise!” “ OH OH OH!! I FORGOT TO TELL YOU YO!! Rude and I found the guy who’s been embezzling your money! He switched identities a grand total of FOUR times- “ Reno held four long fingers up, back of his hand facing Rufus for emphasis, “-  and was feeding off the money into adverts for fake businesses to cover his tracks! We booked’m this Morning in little Wutai!! So we recovered a grand total of about 3 million gil, Tseng said he should have it wired in by 3 pm tomorrow. So remember to factor that into the quarterly budget....what...a week from now? Two weeks yo?” 

[therealvinelle]

Hey,

Can you do tell us what you like about JK Rowling’s writing like you did with S Meyer? And what are the parts you don’t enjoy?

(Anon is referring to this post.)

See, the thing is, I like Stephenie Meyer's writing, I think she's good. Rowling... Rowling has things she is good at, but she just doesn't tick my boxes. I prefer Meyer by a long shot.

The good

To take a few things that I do like about Rowling:

Banter The kids' petty squabble is delightful.

Character creation She's very good at coming up with these quirky, original, charming characters. They're colorful. Note that I'm not saying she's good at characters, as I find the vast majority of them are not compelling.

Charm She's good at charm, period. She's very good at atmosphere.

Mysteries The Philosopher's Stone, Snape, and Quirrel in The Philosopher's Stone, Diary, Ginny, the heir of Slytherin in Chamber of Secrets, Sirius Black and the Marauders in Prisoner of Azkaban, the Crouch family in Goblet of Fire... she's very good at having these mysteries that keep you hooked and you're given just enough hints that by the time the twist is revealed you feel you've been given a satisfying answer. I can see why she turned her head towards crime novels after Harry Potter.

Quidditch! Rufus Scrimgeour! She excels at made-up words and weird names. (Gonna give a shoutout to the Norwegian translator of the series, Torstein Bugge Høverstad. He saw JKR's word magumble, and said "I can do that." The result was rumpeldunk, lammostivosløvus, tenketank, and many more.)

JKR created this enchanting world that millions of people worldwide fell in love with, that is no small accomplishment, in fact it's unparalleled. Full kudos for that and many people love her books.

It so happens that I don't, though, and this post is my reasons why.

Let's begin with a big issue.

What is Harry Potter about?

Harry Potter and the fight against Voldemort, you might say - but is it, really?

Let's look at the books.

Book: Harry is introduced to the Wizarding World, and about the evil wizard he vanquished. He enrolls in school. Evil wizard tries to return, Harry foils him.

Book: Harry goes to school. A memory of the evil wizard tries to take physical form, fails.

Book: Harry goes to school. Family drama ensues.

Book: Harry goes to school. Evil wizard successfully returns.

Book: Harry goes to school. Evil wizard grows as a threat, but the Wizarding World at large ignores this.

Book: Harry goes to school. Evil wizard grows as a threat, this time the Wizarding World is acknowledging the fact.

Book: Harry does not go to school. Evil wizard grows as a threat. Harry takes action to defeat the wizard, the wizard is at last defeated.

Notably, each of the confrontations with Voldemort happen at the very end of the books, and are unrelated to large chunks of the story. the classes, Harry's detentions, the Quidditch matches - that's all filler, yet it's given just as much if not more space than Voldemort. Voldemort only pops up at the very end to do things that ultimately won't affect Harry all that much.

What I'm trying to get at with this very reductive summary, is that if these books were actually about Harry's fight against Voldemort, there would be less of them. There is no reason for Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban to exist, for instance, nothing happens in them other than giving Harry something to do in his extracurriculars.

There is no reason for books four, five, six, and seven to be four separate books, either. Tom has all he needs to resurrect in the prologue of book four, yet he spends almost a year on a very convoluted, time-consuming, and wholly unnecessary scheme. He then spends another year trying to get his hands on a prophecy, and yet another year doing... well he doesn't actually do anything, he puts Draco in charge of a thing and then politely waits another year before taking over the Wizarding World. No reason is given for this extreme patience of his, or why he couldn't do two things at once.

If defeating Voldemort was the point of these books, there is no reason why there should be seven of them. Chamber of Secrets and Goblet of Fire, Philosopher's Stone and Prisoner of Azkaban, and Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, and Deathly Hallows, stand out to me in particular as plots that could have been meshed together. Harry and Dumbledore are busy with the Chamber of Secrets and fail to prevent the real Voldemort resurrecting, Harry learns about the Wizarding World, his noble parents, and the man who betrayed them, and the Wizarding World turns into a hostile place while Harry learns that he is destined to kill Voldemort, and is sent out to do just that before it's too late.

Of course, this would have been a very different book series, but that is kind of the point. I don't like the book series JKR wound up writing.

This brings us to another point of mine, which overlaps with the above complaints, and that's the filler in these books.

The filler

(Yes, I'm going through this monster of a text to put awkward headlines in. If it makes the text more digestible...)

We get Harry's Quidditch career in explicit detail. For six out of seven books, there is a large focus on Quidditch, with the Quidditch battles lovingly typed out. We get Harry's academic career in explicit detail. We know which essays he's dreading, the homework he likes, the various classes he takes and what's happening in them. We get his outings to Hogsmeade and the time he was at a Quidditch Tournament, we get his shopping trips to Diagon Alley, we get his fling with Cho that goes nowhere. We get the life and times.

I'm left reading a book series about Hogwarts and Harry's wonderful times there, with the daring adventure our plucky hero has every now and then fighting evil as added flavor. It feels more like a video game, or one of those PR campaign stories where our heroes have an adventure in Disneyland that conveniently features all the attractions.

And I'm not done.

Was anyone editing these books? Anyone?!

Large parts of these books, as I hinted at above with Cho, are seemingly important to the story, but then it turns out to make no difference whatsoever to the overall plot, and you realize it was just there to kill time, and make you think something was happening.

Take Cho. We have Harry noticing the cute Ravenclaw Quidditch player (I forget the position she played) in Prisoner of Azkaban, then in Goblet of Fire he's nursing a crush and asks her out. Then, in Order of the Phoenix, they finally start dating. Then, the relationship fizzles out and Cho ceases to be a remotely important character while Harry is the same as ever.

What was the point of Cho Chang?

Take the Crouch family, one of my favorite mysteries from these books.

Throughout Goblet of Fire, there are all these hints strewn out, hints about old Barty Sr. and the lengths he would go to, his tragically dead son, Barty Sr.'s increasingly erratic behavior until one day he disappears altogether, and Madeye Moody's seemingly unrelated insistence on helping Harry through the Triwizard Tournament. Turns out, he'd been keeping his son imprisoned in his house all the years, which only fed into Barty Jr.'s madness. Finally, Barty kills his father, brings Voldemort back to life, and reveals that he'd been impersonating Moody all this time so he could be close to Harry. Barty is then given the dementor's kiss, and never spoken of again.

All very good, a very nice mystery.

But... could the story have survived without the Crouches?

Is there a particular reason why it couldn't have just been Wormtail polyjuicing into one of Harry's teachers, and given him a portkey when he got him alone? Was there ever actually a need for any of the things Barty did as Moody? He put Harry's name in the goblet of fire, made him pass his trials, and turned the prize cup into a portkey, yes, but it was hardly requisite to Voldemort's resurrection that Harry participate in the tournament in the first place.

And then Barty dies an unceremonious off-screen death, so we don't even have a Death Eater that Harry once trusted and might still have complex feelings about after all this. No lessons of any kind are learned either, as they're never mentioned again.

There comes a point where you realize that they were just there to give the book padding.

It goes on and on, the more you look the more characters and storylines who don't actually matter you find. That's my big problem with JK Rowling.

She has things she's good at, and she's very good at putting on a show, so to say, you have to look closer to see that the figures on stage are just that, figures, with no deeper meaning or reason behind them, only there to dazzle you with colorful outfits and funny made-up words.

This is some people's cup of tea, a lot of people love this. It's very fanfiction friendly, as you have a world just shallow enough that you can insert whatever you want into it. It's not my cup of tea, though.

And I'm not done.

It's very obvious she did not plan ahead with these books. At all.

Winging it: a seven-book demonstration by Joanne K. Rowling

Not only is there too little plot (as explained above) for me to believe she was ever coherently building up to something on a grander scale than from book to book. There are no mysteries that expand across multiple books, for one thing. Oh, there's Snape, but him doing ambiguous things is not cleverly planting clues, it's him doing ambiguous things while JKR winks at the audience.

More damningly, there's the magic introduced from one book to another, that may or may not be brought up again, that you may wonder why it didn't come up earlier. Why doesn't Hogwarts have a problem of students using time turners to find out the NEWT exam questions and selling them to students who haven't taken them yet? Why is felix felicis addiction not a problem in wizarding society? Why are portkeys not in use more? Or apparition, especially in earlier books?

(The time turners, in particular, are a problem for me. Blowing them up in Order of the Phoenix isn't enough, because the technology for time travel still exists. Am I to believe there were no other time turners in the whole world than the ones in that cabinet? That no one would abuse their effects? Why did Godric's Hollow on 31st of October 1981 not turn into a battleground of time travelling Death Eaters trying to prevent Voldemort from falling, and time travelling aurors trying to prevent the Death Eaters?)

It's very clear to me that the worldbuilding was not done in advance. She did not know all these things existed when she set out to write the books, which is fine with the first one since it wasn't supposed to be the start of the franchise, but not for the remaining six.

Then there's the wand lore, which completely retconned the preceding six books. According to the whole new lore introduced in that book no one's wand should belong to anybody, you just use whatever wand you won last week. Frankly, I don't know how she got away with that.

The obscurials in the films are another example of retconning, because if muggleborns could turn into bombs the Wizarding World would look very different.

Even more damningly, there's the prophecy.

The prophecy: it gets its own headline

Read this, and ask yourself: does this strike you as the prophecy written by someone who has Deathly Hallows all planned out?

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...."

JKR devotes this entire book to Voldemort trying to get the never mentioned before prophecy. It's not like she wrote herself into a corner in preceding books and had no choice but to come up with something: she set out to have this book be centered on this prophecy. And yet, what she comes up with is a prophecy that can be divided into two parts: part one, establishing the obvious. There is a destined hero who will destroy Voldemort, and here's how to pick him out of the crowd. This conveniently fits the bill ofr Harry Potter.

Part two, vague nonsense.

No, really.

I'm not going to get into my controversial conspiracy theorist corner of explaining how Harry never actually uses any power that Voldemort doesn't know, at least not in the form of love, because pointing out that the power of love isn't anything Harry ever actually wields is very controversial in this fandom and it'll take away from my point. (As you can see I'm saying it anyway in this paragraph, because it has to be said. If Harry's got a power Voldemort doesn't know, it's something other than love.)

I am, however, going to point out that the rest of the prophecy is made up, it's lies, it's nonsense. They both live just fine for years while the other survives, you could interpret this as "they won't stop trying to kill each other" but that's extremely generous and not what the prophecy is saying.

Nothing dictates either must die at the hand of the other. Anyone could have killed either of them. Harry only destroys one of Tom's horcruxes, and the others are destroyed by different people. When Tom has no horcruxes left, he is killed by his own rebounding curse, which is very much not "at the hand of the other".

To say nothing of the "mark him as his equal" line, that one is also vague and likely didn't have anything to do with anybody's blood status. Tom was set to kill both Harry and Neville, when the Potters' location fell into his lap he went to the Potters first. This line, like the others, carries that sweet sweet smell of "nonsense JKR thought sounded good".

Last but not least criticism of the prophecy, who's to say it wasn't fulfilled in 1981? There was a prophecy saying some kid that vaguely fit Harry's descriotion would vanquish Voldemort, and lo and behold Harry vanquished Voldemort. The prophecy says nothing about "and then the Dark Lord returns, and Harry defeats him again". Why is everyone so convinced it's still relevant?

My point with all of this is that it proves JKR didn't plan her books. At all. She had a big bad, and a hero set to defeat him, and she hadn't decided how, or that prophecy would have been a lot more specific, or at the very least made sense.

Take the other prophecy she wrote for proof:

"It will happen tonight... The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight... the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was. Tonight... before midnight... the servant... will set out... to rejoin... his master..."

This makes perfect sense. So any "JKR just made the first one vague nonsense because that's how prophecies are in the Harry Potter universe! It's a mystical art!" defense is pretty thin.

And I don't think she came up with horcruxes prior to Half-Blood Prince, sorry, I just don't. The prophecy would have been different, for one thing.

This post has gone on long enough, so I'll try to cut it short. Believe it or not, but I have more complaints about these books, mainly in how she fails to make her characters be people and not just quirky and colorful concepts, and how the power of love is... well there's a lot of talk and a distinct lack of show.

JKR has some things she's very good at, as a children's books author she's very good. On its own the first book is great. However, she has deep flaws, and so I can't really write a post explaining why I think she's a good writer like I could for Stephenie Meyer, and that because I don't think she's a good writer. At least, she doesn't tick my boxes the way Meyer does.

[redvoid-40]

Rufus Shinra NSFW Alphabet - H to O

I actually posted this a few weeks ago but tumblr screwed up and made it so no one could find it by searching the tags so I deleted the post. I meant to repost this as soon as I figured out the problem (turns out tumblr doesn’t let me add any links to posts anymore) but got distracted by the Gaara asks I’ve been receiving. Sorry Anon! =.=

Anyway, here’s a bit more on the NSFW Alphabet series for Rufus! Let me know what you guys think and if you have any requests. :)

PS: should answer another Gaara ask sometime today. ;)

NSFW under cut, minors begone!

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Super well-groomed. Rufus most likely has periodic laser hair removal sessions to make sure he’s always nice and smooth from his eyebrows down. There’s not a single strand of hair on his torso, and barely a bit of platinum-blonde fuzz on his balls. He keeps a neatly trimmed small patch of blonde hair (slightly darker than his actual hair) above his cock too, but only because when he shaved it all he felt too much like a teenager.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Depends. If he’s with someone solely for the physical relief of sex, he’s not intimate at all. He’ll fuck them nice and good, leave them satisfied, but there will be no kissing or playful teasing on his part. He’ll get in, get off, and get out.

Now, if he’s in a committed relationship Rufus might show a bit more softness. He’ll kiss them slowly as he gently undresses them. He’ll actually take time to appreciate and caress the expanse of skin he’s about to grope and manhandle, trailing soft lips down their neck, stomach and thighs before even thinking of thrusting his cock in them. There will be lots of intense eye-contact and he’ll be very vocal about everything he’ll do to them and how much they turn him on.

Just don’t expect too much cuddling afterwards. Like I stated in Aftercare (check my masterlist) he’s got too much work to do to spend hours in bed holding his SO after the deed is done.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Jacks off frequently, especially when he’s particularly stressed with work. When he’s single and feeling particularly pent up he might hire sex workers to take care of his problem for him. When he’s in a relationship he calls his SO to come to his office so he can rail them against his desk.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Rufus has been around when he was younger so he has a list of things he’s into: anal sex, lingerie and heels, clothed sex, sex toys…

He has a preference for being a dom in the bedroom so, while he’s up to lots of experimentation, he favours the following kinks: power-play, orgasm control and denial, and light bondage. 

I don’t see him as violent though, physically or emotionally. He’ll tease and taunt his SO to his heart’s content, but he won’t degrade or actually hurt them in any way (some light spanking is okay, but more for the face-value of it; nothing that’s going to bruise or cause them pain).

See Dirty Secret for daddy kink.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Inside the bedroom where he has all his toys, handcuffs and structures for anything he might want to do with his SO.

But he does like expensive hotel rooms and fucking in his office too.

And if the opportunity to desecrate his father’s office presents itself when he’s still VP you better believe me Rufus will grab it with both hands without the slightest hesitation.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Rufus has a naturally high libido so he doesn’t really need something to turn him on. He’s down to fuck any time of the day as long as it doesn’t get in the way of his work.

When he was a teenager his friends (did he have friends?) might or might not have worried about him being a sex-addict, but it got infinitely better after a couple of years, when his hormones weren’t raging inside his body. Now Rufus has a much better grasp of his sex drive, managing to focus his frustration on work more often than not.

When he really wants to blow off some steam and doesn’t have a SO to turn to he’ll more likely resort to sex workers instead of seducing high-class women, if only because it’s much easier to deal with a business transaction than possible emotional complications. But, once he does get a steady SO, he’ll expect sex every night and some office surprises during weekdays. Rufus is not good at cuddling and other forms of affection so not only it’s how he relieves stress, but it’s also the best way he can show he cares for his SO. At first glance he may appear to be a selfish lover, but once in a relationship he won’t be able to rest at night if he doesn’t make sure his SO is completely satisfied with him, inside and outside the bedroom.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Rufus does not share. Any threesome fantasies? You might as well kiss them goodbye. Doesn’t matter if it’s with another girl or guy, Rufus wants your undivided attention on him at all times, inside AND outside the bedroom.

So if anyone gets a bit too close or flirty with you (cough-Reno-cough) he will set Darkstar/Dark Nation on them.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Rufus loves receiving oral. Likes to take his time too, allowing his SO to go down slowly on him at their pace for a long while before grabbing their hair and taking charge. He will fuck their throat any way he likes it, and while he can get a bit rough he won’t hold them down and choke them on his cock. Oh no, he’d much rather surprise them with his little surges and then stop, letting them catch their breath as they drool all over his cock and thighs, before starting all over again. He’ll rinse and repeat many times, and when he comes he expects his SO to open wide and stick their tongue out so he can paint the inside of their mouth white with his cum.

That’s not to say Rufus doesn’t like giving oral. Once in a relationship he’s actually a very giving lover and will do everything to please his SO. However, on the beginning of the relationship they might have to be a bit patient and teach him the best way to give oral to them because Rufus would not have much experience on it, if any. He’s Rufus fucking Shinra, he doesn’t go down on any one-night stand that comes his way.

In other words he’s not good at it on the beginning but he’s ready to learn for his SO.

[iaintyourbro]

What is your favorite scene or scenes in the Remake with Cloud and Tifa? I think most Clotis will probably say the hug scene is their favorite. My favorite is actually the scene where they jump from the train in chapter 5. The whole scene itself is pretty good. This might not make sense but the first time I saw that scene, it almost made me want to look away from the screen. How they look at each other after they jump is so intense, and his soft voice when he asks her if she's ok. So cute :)

Hey anon!

Of course the hug scene is great.

That train roll scene is hot. Like there’s no other way to describe it. I saw somebody post “He says ‘You okay?’ like just just took her virginity.” They did this scene VERY sexually charged, no matter how you look at it. 

He brings his arm back up and holds her there. People like to say he pushes her off, but if he REALLY wanted to push her off, wouldn’t he have done it immediately? He BRINGS HIS ARM UP AND SLIDES HIS OTHER ONE FURTHER UP HER BACK TO HOLD HER IN PLACE.

I also like to say if you showed this picture to somebody who never played the game, you’d get a pretty consistent response to “so are they going to kiss?”

So you asked for my favorite scene. I have a lot. 

I think this is my favorite scene. It shows that Tifa is a total badass. It shows that SHE is just as capable of saving him as he is of saving her. It also shows that she was NOT going to allow him to fall like he did in Chapter 7. 

Those two have a moment before the Rufus fight that’s interesting. He tells Barret to take Aerith and get out of there. Tifa and Cloud look at each other for a bit before she turns. It’s like they had some silent communication there. Tifa wasn’t taking a chance - she made the right call. 

Another is when he wakes up in the beginning of Chapter 17 and is greeted by Tifa. My first playthrough I would have bet a ton of money that it would have been Aerith. It says a lot that it was Tifa. 

They wake up to each other a few times. 

The jealous!Cloud moments are also hilarious to me because he’s so blatant about it. These were a pleasant surprise. 

There’s a lot of great moments between these two and I think they did a very good job writing their relationship and showing how it’s building up. I am very curious how it’ll continue to grow in part 2 and beyond. They’ve laid a very strong foundation.

[leeus-writing]

What do you think the Turks/SOLDIER (ASGZC) Hogwarts houses are? I’m actually super curious what you think!

Hi Anon,

I had a discussion with a friend about where the FF7 lot would fit into Hogwarts houses. 

I don’t necessarily agree with the Hogwarts houses because you can’t put people in a box, plus it can bring up some arguments. So, readers please remember this is just mine and a friends idea of where they fit. If anyone has any other ideas, feel free to add a coment I’ll be interested to see what ya all think.

Midgar Hogwarts

The Turks

Reno: Gryffindor – Although he is second in command of the Turks, he’s not ambitious enough to be in Slytherin, he most likely got there by shear experience. He is also too Lazy for Hufflepuff (my house btw). And although smart, isn’t interested in learning enough. He kind of reminds me of the Marauders. Cocky attitude, brave enough to do the hard tasks.

Rude: Ravenclaw – Rude is an intelligent man. He’s always come across as an intellectual and sharp minded. So, I could imagen him fitting in well in Ravenclaw.

Tseng: Ravenclaw – He is extremely logical and, very much, book learned. Heck think about the shear amount of paperwork he’s got to do every day! However, I think he could fit equally well in Slytherin.

Elena: Hufflepuff – She’s hard working and focuses on the job more than the other Turks. This may be because she is a rookie, or it may be a ploy to impress the equally job obsessed Tseng however, I think being a hard worker is part of her personality.

Rufus (I know he’s not in SOLDIER or Turks but he’s very close with the Turks): Slytherin – He’s very much obsessed with being in charge of everything. Through out his life he’s pretty much done anything he could to prove himself and be in charge.

The SOLDIERS

Sephiroth: Ravenclaw – Sephiroth is Extremely intelligent man, people think he’s a cold person. For him being the best as what he is, is easy. He’s Logical and calm minded. One point I think about is when he found out that he might be a result of an experiment, he did everything he could to find out more about it. Yeah resulting him going insane but still he spent days reading through everything he could.

Demi-SOLDIER Cloud: Hufflepuff – This guy works HARD. He had a dream to be in SOILDER and tried to act on that. As soon as he was turned into a SOLDIER (al be it a Demi one) he became a Merc (mostly because of Zack memories) but he worked Hard at being a Merc. He also doesn’t stop throughout the game.

Zack: Gryffindor – He’s got a lot of loyalty to Shinra to begin with, he would also Fit in with the marauders.

Genesis: Ravenclaw – I’ll be honest I don’t know much about this guy other than the fact he’s obsessed with a book so much so that when he’s insane he tries to act it out…. Though I’ll be honest, he was balanced between Ravenclaw and Slytherin.

Angeal: Gryffindor – I don’t know much about this guy other than the fact he had a very strong moral compass and had the perfect idea of how a SOLDIER should be. 

Roche: Gryffindor – He Reminds me a lot of James Potters lot. He’s not interested in raising up in the ranks and I can’t imagen him taking particular interest in learning. Hard working, hmmm possibly but again he doesn’t take the job seriously. He didn’t take down Cloud he just wanted to fight him and show off.

                                                         ~~~

~Ao3~

[theeeveetamer]

Okay Queen Consort Lambert AU is really good. The good angst. So how do Dimidue and Sylvix get together (or do they?)? How do we get our dimidue babies and baby André?

Good question Anon! I’ll start with Sylvix then.

After discovering that he’s engaged to Dimitri, Sylvain does everything in his power to put it off or convince Rodrigue to change his mind. He’d mostly stopped flirting with girls and fucking around while he was kind-of-sort-of informally “courting” Felix, but he starts up again and hopes the rumors get back to Rodrigue’s ears.

Lucky for them, Dimitri doesn’t present until he’s nearly 17 years old, so mating was impossible before then. Still, Sylvain and Felix lived with constant anxiety, wondering if today would be the day where Dimitri got his heat and the two of them were out of time to think of a solution.

Because Dimitri presents so close to the start of his Academy term, Rodrigue at least agrees to put off the official ceremony until after graduation.

Felix spends the entire term angrily ignoring his dad, Sylvain spends the entire term trying everything under the sun to get him to change his mind, and Dimitri spends the entire term mostly oblivious to what’s going on between his betrothed and his brother (kid has a lot on his mind, okay?)

By this point Felix has probably outright stated how he feels about Sylvain, so they spend a lot of time together because they know they won’t get to do that once Sylvain gets married off. Sneaking into each other’s rooms at night, doing homework together, eating every meal together... Heck, Sylvain even drags Felix on a couple of dates, and Felix manages to drag Sylvain to the training grounds a few times.

(I imagine they’d also have sex, just because Felix wants him, and Sylvain knows he’d feel too guilty to do it after he’s officially mated to Dimitri).

Then about two months before the end of term they’re kind of just like... Fuck it? What are they going to do if we mate, disown us? So Sylvain sneaks into Felix’s room and they seal the deal. The entire place is in a panic for, like, the next week. The academy probably has semi-strict rules about, y’know, not doing that while the students attend? Margrave Gautier and Rodrigue get a letter and they both have to come up and deal with this (which is a pretty strong word, since there’s nothing to be done. The bond is permanent.)

Sylvain’s dad is pissed that he missed his chance to get a grandbaby on the throne. Rodrigue is pissed that Felix interfered with Dimitri’s engagement. He probably even makes Dimitri come to this little gathering and he goes on and on about how Felix is “getting in the way” of his brother’s happiness, all while Dimitri fidgets and says nothing. But then Rodrigue feels guilty after Felix flips his shit on him. I mean, he told his father how many times that he’d like to have Sylvain as a mate? And then he goes and gives him to Dimitri? He suddenly realizes that he probably does not listen to his youngest enough, which is a pretty massive blow to his fatherly pride.

Privately, after their father returns home, Dimitri thanks Felix because he really didn’t want to marry Sylvain. They might have a somewhat sweet brother moment here. Well, as sweet as Felix will allow it to get. He’s still upset with the boar.

As for Dimidue...

So I imagine that their academy days go pretty much as in canon (in terms of major events), right?

During the five years of time skip, instead of Cornelia making it look like Dimitri killed his uncle, she uses Rufus as her figurehead. Part of that coup is leveraging the Royal Family’s collective mental breakdown after the Tragedy in her favor. She points to Rodrigue’s paranoia and alcoholism, Dimitri’s Duscur friend, and the fact that Felix has spent more time in Gautier than in Fhirdiad as just a couple of reasons why they should no longer be in charge of Faerhus’s affairs.

So in the night she manages to get a contingent of soldiers and the nobility to try and kill the royal family. They primarily target Dimitri, so Rodrigue and Felix manage to get away mostly unscathed. Felix basically has to hold his father back from running back to the capital to search for Dimitri, because if he hasn’t managed to make it out by now then he’s probably done for.

Rodrigue refuses to believe that, though. He doesn’t return the the capital, but he’s so 100% sure that his pup made it out alive and will join him in Fraldarius territory soon enough.

Dimitri does make it out alive, but only because, unbeknownst to everyone, Dedue was spending the night in his room and was there to save him. The attack on the Monastery and the war and imagining Dedue dying absolutely terrified him, so he pulls him into his bedroom and pours his entire heart out to him. Even with everything that’s going on, Dimitri is completely over the moon when Dedue reciprocates his feelings.

Then in that same night Dedue is stolen away from him.

It takes several months for Dimitri to discover that Rodrigue and Felix are alive, but he’s so angry with his father. I imagine at some point Dimitri found out about all those attempts Rodrigue made on Dedue’s life, and he’s bitter about that. That, plus his anguish over Dedue’s death and his desire for revenge, sets off his whole murder phase.

Now this could go two ways. Either Dimitri and Dedue slept together that night and Dimitri got pregnant (thus leading into one of those fun AUs where Dimitri has a baby during the time-skip and leaves it on Rodrigue’s doorstep), or he doesn’t get pregnant and things proceed relatively according to canon.

[zucca101]

Transcript with a once-friend

Made on a Discord Server in the room meant for airing out frustrations, grievances and the like.

The names have been changed to protect the ones involved, and if you know who the names are (They’re historical ones!) without googling them, then you win a history star!

Minucius Rufus and I had long been friends until the election, where they inferred nothing short of the absolute  worst in a strawmanning to end all.

In fact, I suspect Rufus to be the mystery anon who kept trying to bait me into saying what they, in their mind, think everyone to the Right of Stalin says.

So Rufus and I made up afterwards and things were dandy, up until Trump’s transsexual ban in the military. The thing whose unilateral nature I disagreed with. Rufus KNEW I disagreed with it. Didn’t stop them from ripping into me since, I assume due to treating anyone to the Right of Mao as absolute dirt, they don’t know anyone else who isn’t Leftist.

It was to Rufus who I was responding with those long posts some time ago back in July.

So, worrying that someone else in the server recognized Rufus, I urged others on the server not to make a fuss.

Zucca Xerfantes-07/27/2017

Need to air something out. There is bad blood between myself and another member of the server, but I give my solemn vow that I will not drag any drama into any of the rooms. It is an unfortunate disagreement and I kindly ask of them to observe the same courtesy and ask of any who know the nature of the disagreement not to bring it in either. Thank you all and love y'all!

To which Rufus responded by making a fuss... X_X

Minucius Rufus-07/27/2017

You're literally the only one dragging it outside private messages to begin with, my guy.

Quintus Fabius Maximus, a very good friend of mine, responded by saying he knew nothing of it.

Quintus Fabius Maximus-07/27/2017

Yeah, I literally didn't know anything about it until you mentioned it.

Although I hope both of you are doing alright, I like all of ya.

Zucca Xerfantes-07/27/2017

There's a few others who are aware and my intent was to issue a blanket statement so as not to name names. Regardless, this is the very last I'll speak of it here.

Zucca Xerfantes-07/27/2017

At any rate... how about them Lakers?

August 23, 2017

Zucca Xerfantes-Today at 11:06 AM

http://ktvl.com/news/local/anti-fascist-vandalism-at-greenhorn-park

This... REALLY pissed me off...

This happened in a dear friend's hometown. He can personally attest, the outdoor museum has nothing to do with the Civil War era, slavery or the like

It was just someplace the little fascist bastards could get to easily >_<

Minucius Rufus-Today at 11:36 AM

looks legit alright, just like "blacks rule" smfh

Could you have found a more obvious false flag?

Oh wait, never mind, you probably thought that particular occasion was real too because after chasing away every last friend of color with your rabid support for the cheeto in charge, you wouldn't even know that no one would legitimately spraypaint this in public and mean it.

Zucca Xerfantes-Today at 11:43 AM

Minucius Rufus, we don't have to get along and interact, but don't lie about me.

Minucius Rufus-Today at 11:44 AM

It was all over your own damn blog, don't lie.

Zucca Xerfantes-Today at 11:46 AM

I'm just venting here. And if you want proof I haven't, as you lied, 'chased away my friends of color', then I can link you to the DA pages of my IRL friends of African, Filipino and Japanese descent.

You're the one who's lying. Neutrality on Trump does not equal support unless you're a cultist of one extreme or another

Minucius Rufus-Today at 11:47 AM

Neutrality? https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/rbz5bnvfgwufqkz/zucca1.png

Looks neutral, alright. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/bwgq14047q2jiet/zucca2.png

Zucca Xerfantes-Today at 11:49 AM

It tickles me that he upsets the Establishment on both sides but that's about it, Minucius. And between him and Hillary, I selected the lesser of two evils

I just needed to vent about Fascist "Anti"fa tearing up my friend's childhood memories at the Pioneer outdoor museum. That's all

Zucca Xerfantes-Today at 11:51 AM

But I refuse to be your personal straw man. Good day

Minucius Rufus-Today at 11:51 AM

Don't fucking present obvious false flags as real. You're the one who's lying here.

Zucca Xerfantes-Today at 11:51 AM

I said good day.

Quintus Fabius Maximus-Today at 11:52 AM

Come on, I'm sure nobody here is like, literally evil, come on

Minucius Rufus-Today at 11:52 AM

Supporting the fascist in charge at this point is close enough.

Quintus Fabius Maximus-Today at 11:53 AM

That's a really strong statement considering more or less half of the country voted for him

Minucius Rufus-Today at 11:53 AM

I'm sorry, I'm not going to tolerate someone who legitimately thinks the man who refers to neo-nazis as "fine people" or who equates pushback against them to "violence from all sides" is a good person.

I don't care. Half of Germany also voted for Hitler in 1933, did that make him a good person?(edited)

Quintus Fabius Maximus-Today at 11:54 AM

Well, Germany was in a really bad financial spot allowing Hitler's rise to power, do you really think half of Germany wanted to kill Jews?

Minucius Rufus-Today at 11:55 AM

Read that sentence again with your own damn eyes.

Quintus Fabius Maximus-Today at 11:56 AM

Seriously, come on. You're just assuming a lot about people.

Minucius Rufus-Today at 11:57 AM

Of course he didn't get elected on a platform of "let's literally murder all Jewish people," but what he did get elected on was scapegoating them for Germany's economic trouble (gee, sound familiar), and not to mention? It's been half a year since that orange fuck has been in power, three quarters of one since the election. People have seen what he stands for, and while not every single person who voted for him is terrible perhaps, if you still support him at this point?(edited)

Yeah, no. Stay the fuck away from me.

Truth is not a democracy, and neither is what's morally the right thing to do. Never was, never will be.

Quintus Fabius Maximus-Today at 12:00 PM

Well on the bright side, maybe Civil War 2 will resolve things.

Minucius Rufus-Today at 12:07 PM

Like, fuck. Don't even ask me, ask a goddamn Holocaust survivor about this shit if they're willing to share.

Quintus Fabius Maximus-Today at 12:08 PM

At this point I just think most people are getting tired of being compared to literal Nazis and we'll actually get a civil war 2. :c

Minucius Rufus-Today at 12:09 PM

It's the same shit we've seen before, the same desire to cull "undesirables" for the sake of maximizing productivity, the same valuing wealth over people's lives, the same equating people fighting for equal rights with terror groups ("BLM is just like the KKK!")

People are being compared to nazis because they support the same shit the nazis did.

It's that simple.

And that’s how I spent part of my lunch break. >_>

Again I urge, and again Rufus will claim I’m siccing people on them because I’m not conforming to their fantasy situation of being the heroic non-Nazi vs. The Nazi, NOT to go after them in any capacity.

You don’t win battles of ideas with bullying.

[phgq]

Local leaders pay tribute to democracy icon Nene Pimentel

#PHnews: Local leaders pay tribute to democracy icon Nene Pimentel

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Local leaders paid tribute to this city's former mayor and favorite son, ex-Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr., who passed away early Sunday (October 20) in Manila. Mayor Oscar Moreno said he was saddened by the passing of Pimentel, whom locals affectionately called Tatay Nene, and called on Kagay-anons to pray "that God will grant his soul eternal rest and peace." Moreno said he will ask the former senator's family to bring his remains here for public viewing, noting that Pimentel served as this city's mayor in the early 80s and became widely popular after he served some time in prison for defying the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos. Statesman “The people of Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental would be especially honored to pay our last respects and to give a tribute to Sen. Nene here in [Cagayan de Oro], as I am sure that our neighbors here in Mindanao would also join us,” the mayor said. In a text message, the city’s (2nd District) Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said: “Former Senate President Nene Pimentel will be remembered as a freedom fighter who resisted martial law. He was imprisoned several times for his unwavering belief in democracy.” “He (Pimentel) went on to serve the Senate with utmost dedication and integrity. He authored our Local Government Code, a big step towards decentralization and autonomy in our country,” Rodriguez said. “He trail-blazed the proposal for a federal system for our country to develop our countryside. He was a great statesman, a true Mindanaonon, of our country and we in Cagayan de Oro are proud of our native son,” the lawmaker added. Community media Before he entered public service, Tatay Nene was active in community media and was a charter member of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club. When he was mayor in 1982, Pimentel issued an executive order for the annual observance of Press Freedom Week every May, a commemoration that is still being observed to this day. Broadcast journalist Manny Jaudian recalled that he was a radio reporter in 1980 "when I personally met Sen. Nene Pimentel in Cagayan de Oro. He was then our mayor." “Your favorite song ‘You Are My Sunshine’ will forever be embedded in our hearts. [Rest in peace], sir Nene Pimentel. You have served our country well,” Jaudian said. In a text message, Marlo Tabac, barangay chairman of Gusa in this city, said Pimentel's passing was "very painful to me. We have lost a man who has great plans for this country.” PDP-Laban legacy Tabac is the Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental council president of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP), the political party founded by Pimentel in 1982 to oppose the brutal rule of the dictator Marcos. In 1983, PDP merged with Lakas ng Bayan, founded by former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. in 1978. Today, PDP-Laban is the country’s ruling party, with Pres. Rodrigo Duterte as its current national chairman. In a statement, PDP-Laban Secretary-General and Davao del Norte First District Congressman  Pantaleon Alvarez said: "The party mourns the loss of our founder, the icon of democracy and a freedom fighter." "PDP-Laban is not what is now, without his courage and determination to unite the political forces especially those from Mindanao to have a voice and be represented in the political capital, he will always be our inspiration, he was selfless and a father to every member of the party," Alvarez said. He added: "We are hoping that  his death will be a reminder to each party member that service to the people is important, above political lines, that his sacrifices will become our source of strength to further foster the party towards a greater goal for the country." Uniting figure Elsewhere in Mindanao, Pimentel is remembered for his effort to unite the island's ethnic and religious groups. Zia Alonto Adiong, a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, said that the late statesman contributed to foster peace between Muslims and Christians during his stint as mayor in the 80s. "When being asked for a comment on the influx of Meranao settlers in the city of Cagayan de Oro in the late 80s to the early 90s, Sen. Nene Pimentel appealed to the locals that not only do Meranaos be treated as brothers, but to open Cagayan de Oro as their home," Alonto recalled. Iligan City Lone District Rep. Frederick Siao remembered Pimentel as "both fierce and compassionate." "Throughout his political career, he brought Mindanao issues to the front and center of the national consciousness. He is loved and respected all over Mindanao as a man of principle and love for the poor and marginalized," he said. Siao described the late senator as a "hero of Mindanao." Federalism Meanwhile, Arnold Garbanzos, head of the Iliganon Advocate of a Federal Government, said Pimentel's passing was a great loss to the cause of federalism in the country. However, Garbanzos said the late senator's death was not the end of the federal movement in the country. "His death, however, does not stop our advocacy for subsidiarity and decentralization--the two main tenets of the federal movement," he said. "We will continue his fight and legacy for a truly federal Philippine Republic until we achieve our goal to make this nation a truly democratic one," he added. Alvarez agreed, saying the federal movement hopes "that the seed of Federalism he sow,  will bear fruits with the able leadership of Senator Koko Pimentel." Landmark laws Pimentel’s primary contribution as a legislator was the Local Government Code of 1991, the landmark law that gave local government units powers to collect taxes, fees, and charges and impose important political functions in their respective jurisdictions. He also authored and sponsored laws that created the Philippine Sports Commission, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and the Philippine National Police. (PNA)

***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "Local leaders pay tribute to democracy icon Nene Pimentel." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1083680 (accessed October 20, 2019 at 11:12PM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "Local leaders pay tribute to democracy icon Nene Pimentel." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1083680 (archived).

[what-is-sibling-test]

More Garcy authors wanting to do kiss prompts??! I think I’ve died and gone to heaven! Ok, take your pick from 7, 72, or 75.

I’ll see about also getting 72 and 75 done, but here’s 7 for you in a combo platter with 52 requested by an Anon.  Set sometime in early 2019, and have some bonus Riya feels? ~~~~~~~~~~ 7: “I’ve missed you kiss”/52: Accidentally witnessed kiss The best and worst thing about the Alaska safehouse was its remoteness.  Getting anything up there was a pain, and very specific technological equipment wasn’t exactly easy to just click and ship from Amazon.  After two weeks round-trip with Connor to find, purchase, and then get parts getting shipped up from Seattle, Jiya was about ready to crack some skulls if any of it got damaged en route.  She’d waited long enough to get the final parts to complete this Lifeline update.  Rebuilding the Lifeboat piece by piece, then repairing the damage from the Great Chicago Fire mission, and now finally taking it painstakingly slow, checking and testing every single part put in.  They were in uncharted territory again, like when they first built the Lifeboat and made those first forays through time.  The last thing any of them needed was to get turned into goo by doing it wrong. Denise and Garcia, meanwhile, had made their own foray out east to DC.  Shaking the federal agent trees, as usual, to see what latest info might drop on Rittenhouse.  They’d gotten back to Anchorage only an hour or two after Jiya and Connor, and loaded up the bush plane, Garcia grumping as usual about folding himself into the tiny seats, especially with the load of supplies.  Wyatt, Jessica, and Lucy apparently had kept busy binge watching “Black Sails” and “Breaking Bad” in the meantime. After dinner she headed out to the warehouse, eager to unload the crates and get started.  Connor would be along soon after a nap. She opened the door, and saw the gym portion of the building was occupied.  Lucy and Garcia, busy at their sparring practice.  No big deal.  Their all-purpose gym/storage shed/Lifeboathouse/workshop inevitably meant sharing that common space.  The rules more or less amounted to “first one into the warehouse gets to pick the music”, “don’t be a dick”, and “wipe down the gym mats and the bag if you sweat on them.”   They didn’t seem to notice her as she slipped in, headed for the Lifeboat.  He’d been a good enough teacher to her own half-formed skills from the 1880’s, and she’d seen Lucy could kick some ass now out on a mission, because she’d taken to learning with a vengeance.  Her bruised and swollen face after Chinatown was all the explanation Jiya needed there.  She’d known what it was like to be an untrained, vulnerable woman herself.  Lucky she’d found some friends in that time and place to help look after her until she got tougher, before she became just another statistic.  Though they wouldn’t have actually kept the crime statistics on that side of town. “You’re still dropping your guard sometimes when you kick,” Garcia told Lucy.  “What, you want your clock punched?”  She wouldn’t laugh.  Her parents had screwed up their English idioms often enough.  Anyone who wants to make fun is welcome to revel in monolingual ignorance. “No, I don’t want my clock cleaned,” Lucy corrected him calmly, snapping a quick kick at his left knee.  He dodged aside from it, saying something to her in Croatian that had her snap something back in the same language, even as he swung a punch at her.  Equally light-footed, she skipped aside from it and threw her own punch into the space he created, which he blocked and countered.   Sitting at the desk, Jiya turned to the schematics, reviewing it with the mental inventory in her head of the newly-arrived parts, cross checking.  Lucy made an exasperated sound in the back of her throat.  “You’re half-assing it today, Garcia.  Quit it. You know I can take it.” “Lucy, I’m wounded.  Have you ever known me to half-ass anything?”  Jiya couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Sarcastic comment from Garcia, even if only overheard: check.  Quota done for the day. She heard Lucy’s snort of amusement. “Fine. I stand corrected.  Garcia Flynn: one hundred percent ass, every time.”   “I see you missed me,” he chuckled.  “I’m not going easy, Lucy.  Just jet lagged.  Denise and I spent sixteen hours between planes and airports.  It’s a four time zone difference.”  Jiya could imagine.  She’d been tired enough from the West Coast flights.  Funny how they could skip merrily through the centuries, seasoned enough now that only Wyatt still got dizzy sometimes, poor bastard, but the fatigue of mundane airplane travel still undercut them just the same as everyone else. She glanced up to see Lucy bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet, guard up, rolling her head from side to side to keep her neck loose.  “Poor thing.  Well, just do your best to try to keep up.”  She threw a quick right jab. Sliding aside from it, fingers raking through his hair, Garcia laughed, a sound of sheer delighted joy like Lucy was the best thing he’d ever seen.  “Don’t go easy on me, now.” That was that, and then they were sparring in earnest, and some of it was the same tactics Garcia had taught her. Bad news is a man’s going to be able to beat you on reach and power almost every time.  Good news is most men tend to be big dumb buffalo who go for the wild overkill punches.  Leaves you a wide open counterattack.  Focus on evasion, focus on coming in from the side and finding that opening.  Use quick and focused strikes, use your kicks, elbows, knees, whatever.  Get in, hit, get the hell out of reach again. Lucy was doing that, nimbly dodging his attacks, darting in for an attack of her own and then back out, but he was fast too, making himself an elusive target in return, turning her attacks aside, leaving virtually no break in his guard.  The two of them circling, dodging, dancing in and out of range, acting almost flawlessly in concert.  She had the odd sense that something had shifted, and they weren’t trying to hit each other so much as just turning around and around in an ever-tight circle with each other as the magnetic north, teasing and chasing in a game of tag that was anything but childish. She’d seen them waltzing a few months ago in Zurich when they’d been chasing after Mileva Marić and Albert Einstein, all highly formal white tie and beaded evening gown, and there was something of that same air between them now, even with the two of them sweaty and in gym clothes.  Most people thought the waltz was a romantic ethereal dream, but she’d seen why that original faster-paced Viennese waltz had scandalized the Victorians with the exuberant energy and intimacy of it. This was–something like that, something with those few layers of formality stripped off, whose pulse beat a little closer, a little more raw.  And Garcia most definitely wasn’t always leading the dance.  That sense of back and forth on taking charge, call and answer, one of them responding instinctively to a change in pace or a new move was too familiar.  Like a gathering thunderstorm, friction building and building the electrical charge until it sparked, ready to explode.  Private as those two were about it, she had the weird feeling she could now guess a bit more about their sex life than she’d have liked. Jiya wasn’t sure whether Garcia pressed at just the right moment or if Lucy deliberately misstepped, but she saw the moment Lucy lingered a moment too long inside of his reach.  Then he’d snagged her with an arm around her waist, pulling her in, other hand lighting on her shoulder, dark head dipping as gave a victorious laugh and kissed her soundly.  Lucy’s arms went around his neck, raising herself on her toes, giving it right back to him measure for measure. Then something flipped again between them, and Lucy broke off the kiss, brushing his cheek with the backs of her fingers, touching her forehead to his.  His own hand came up and gripped hers, dropping from his face but still holding on tight, the interlacing of their fingers an oddly gentle contrast to the fighters’ handwraps they were both wearing.  Lucy murmured something, and he answered in a soft rumble.  She couldn’t hear clearly, but she couldn’t help but try to guess.   Maybe: So you did miss me.   Of course.  Or Always.   She remembered that feeling, that tenderness.  What it felt like to hold on so tight to each other when Rufus came back after a mission, that bright fierce joy of reunion, unable to let go.   Being so content to drink in the feeling of simply standing there in each others’ arms with that little gentle sway, breathing in each other’s scent, feeling each others’ heat and heartbeat.  Closer than anything, closer than sex.  Being adored, cherished–loved. She slipped out from the warehouse, leaving them to the moment.  Not out of bitterness, only not wanting it to be awkward if they’d realized they’d had accidental company. Maybe it would have hit her with melancholy months ago.  But she couldn’t resent her friends finding that kind of happiness, given how much they’d both lost.  They were close.  They’d get the Lifeline done.  She’d see Rufus again soon, and take him in her arms just like that, and never let him go again. 

from 'RittenhouseTL' for all things Timeless https://ift.tt/2taHmLq via Istudy world

[sometimesrufus]

How would things be different if Reno was a woman instead of a man?

"The only big difference would be the precautions we'd need to take during sex. I'm not interested in continuing the Shinra bloodline. But Reno is Reno. His looks draw me, but it's his spirit that keeps me interested... not that I'd tell him that."

[reno2ndgun]

1/4 Rufus’s blood sang pleasantly as Reno’s hand carded through his hair. He let his eyes slip closed momentarily, enjoying the moment for what it was. It had been longer than he cared to admit since he’d had another’s hands on him like this. “I was 16, at the time. Tseng is a few months older than me.” He cracked his eyes open and peered at Reno. “I remember you, you know. Right after you joined.” He quirked a smile, reminiscing on the first time he’d seen Reno on the training mats.“*Feisty.*”

 Eyeing Reno’s carefully for signs of pain as he stretched over his lap, he noticed the ice pack about to slip off the edge and bent himself over the squirming man to snatch it. Unable to resist, he rested his other hand between the Turk’s shoulder blades, gently stroking along his spine with a thumb until he crowed in victory and wriggled his way back to sitting. He considered Reno’s words. “I appreciate that, but some things can only be done by me. I’m never *behind* either.”

 Reno wasn’t the only one who could be stubborn about asking for or accepting help. Rufus’s definition of ‘behind’ was most people’s ‘five steps ahead.’ After all, while his contempt for his father was no secret, the bastard kept him around for a *reason.* Unlike some of the other higher-ups he employed, he was *useful.* That, and he had Plans. But not ones he could share with his Turks… yet. He didn’t want to think about any of those things right now.

There was the warm body pressed against him for the first time in ages, and the promise of relaxation after several stressful days of non-stop work. He wanted to savor it. He re wrapped the ice pack and waved it at Reno. “Use it and I won’t make you put on the brace immediately.” He stretched an arm behind Reno’s back, drawing aimless patterns with his middle finger on the redhead’s shoulder. “What are we watching?”

“Still am Fiesty!! Lets watch animals rip each other apart. Nature is relaxing, yeah? Is now a bad time to mention I’ve been forging your signature to get out of mandatory leave for three months so teeeeeeeeechnically no , it doesn’t have to be you.” Reno smirked, expecting a scolding. He really did like to throw himself into his work. Possibly too much. The touch between his shoulders is welcomed and allowed as Reno stretches for the remote. The Warmth is nice, but also distracting in his thoughts. He’d love it other places but for now cuddling up will have to do. Once he has the remote he flips on some nature show to watch Guard Hounds hunting a Dual Horn and not doing so well. Three of them are gored. This is NOT a censored show. “Damn yo, five minutes in and the dogs are already fucking it up.” Reno mock glares at Rufus but relents as the demands of using the ice pack. He lifts his pant leg to reveal and angry purple red bruise the size of his forearm across his shin and sets the ice pack on it. “There, happy now?” He tucks right up next to Rufus, hand resting across the blonde’s thigh loosely while fingers played with the fabric of white slacks. 

He allowed his head to drape back against the blonde’s arm then paused. His hand reached up behind him to squeeze Rufus’s bicep. “ooo. You’ve been keeping up with training this month.....So not that I mind in the slightest but, Yer in a real affectionate mood lately yo. Something been on yah mind or is it just the moon?”

His head tilts to look Rufus in the eyes, their faces less than half a foot apart with the way Reno had cozied right up against him to use his shoulder as a pillow. “You feel’n frisky or sumthin’?” Leave it to Reno to bring things right out in the open like that. While touch was’t rare with Rufus, the flirting had never been quite this intimate, it was usually casual.

[reno2ndgun]

1/5 Rufus barked out a laugh. “I like the way you think.” He was honestly contemplating it. Heidegger liked to gloat about his own over-inflated ego more than he liked to do anything that was actually useful. He loved the idea of knocking him down a peg or two, even if it wasn’t likely his father would do the smart thing and get rid of the man. Once Reno was settled, he smiled at the invitation but stayed right where he was. “In a moment.”

 Offering no further explanation, he walked out of the room and back to the kitchen, unbuttoning his sleeve cuffs and cleanly rolling each of them up twice. He opened the freezer searching… *there*. He plucked an icepack from the door and then retrieved a hand towel from the drawer to the left of the sink, wrapping it neatly on the counter before returning to Reno. “Ice it.” The tone of his voice brooked no argument. “I’ve been busy,” he reiterated, a frosty edge to his voice.

 While it was all well and good to give Reno a hard time about his self-care, he did *not* want his own to become the subject of scrutiny. Between his secretary being out and the damage control he’d been running on the batch of faulty control panels that had shipped out, in addition to his usual load of work, he’d been all but chained to his desk. So much so that, last night, he had fallen asleep at it. Tseng’s arrival was a welcome distraction.

 He nodded in greeting and grinned when the man turned his piercing gaze on Reno. He stayed right where he was as the red-haired Turk inched closer to him, shoulders nearly brushing. He dismissed Tseng's apology with a wave of his hand. “I appreciate you making the trip. Last thing we needed was this one,” he lightly tugged a red spike of hair, “trying to gather all that himself.” He examined the brace as Tseng gave his ultimatum.

 He had definitely requisitioned a newer design. It wasn’t even particularly bulky. Just before he left he caught Tseng’s eye. “Give D a treat for me, will you?” “Will do, sir,” he answered. “Enjoy your time off,” the Turk’s eyes glittered dangerously, and Rufus found himself leaning closer to Reno. He let go of a breath after Tseng left, attention captivated by Reno once more. “Clearly he *knows you*,” he pointed out, twirling the same lock of hair he’d tugged earlier around a finger.

Reno leaned over juuuuust slightly to watch Tseng’s ass while he left. Fingers lifted to air pinch his boss’s booty. Harassment? Probably. Was Tseng used to Reno’s ribbing? Definitely. “Don’t pretend to grope me when you’re not man enough to do it for real Reno.” Tseng said just as the door closed. The look of wide eyed Shock on Reno’s face was slowly turned to Rufus before he broke out into peals of laughter.  Once the door was closed and Tseng was gone, lips peeled into a bright knowing grin to Rufus. “ YO. How the fuck did he know?!?!” The redhead laughed, perfectly fie with the VP’s affection to his hair. Hell he reciprocated it and reached long fingers up to tweak Rufus’s fringe. He gave a bold stroke of his hand to run his fingers through blonde bangs exactly once, the touch solid and confident.. He wanted to pet more but now likely wasn’t the time. “I guess he really does. I keep forgetting how long its been yo. We met when we were...Fifteen and seventeen I think? I remember I was Fifteen when Veld nabbed me for the Turks, but how old were you then?” 

He leans across the blonde’s lap, forearm resting across white clad thighs as he tries to reach for the tv remote on the far end of the couch. His fingers are just baaaaaaaarely brushing the remote. No, he wasn’t going to ask for help. He’s already broken his ‘do it yourself’ rule once today and it was once too many. “Look yo if you’re overwhelmed with work just drop the Turks a line. We’re good for it.. We don’t mind come’n to help you out. It’s also not a big deal since-” He wiggles to try and get some extra reach to nab the remote- “  we’re never behind on work.” GOT IT. The red head leans back to sitting properly but stays shoulder to shoulder with the blonde. Comfort. The Wall Market born male had a tendency to speak with touch far more often than he did with words. It was part of the Reason he and Rude got along so well. They both spoke fluently in Body Language.