#hes a BUSINESSMAN and eventually his love of money will replace the obsession

[unexpectedbrickattack]

Need Gus to know that 🍕 head wants Pep and he is a Lil Shit about it. Like u get what I mean right,.

This is so fucking funny 😭😭 he cant even square up to Gus bc in the same way Peppino is kind of a freak of nature by human standards, Gus is also freakishly strong for a gnome. So he just has to sit there fuming outside the shop as Peppino does Casual Shit like holding his hand on Gustavos hip as they both read this huge order or idly chatting with Gus about the football game on the mounted tv 😭

Even when Peppino (EVENTUALLY) starts to be more tolerant and amicable w 🍕head, and hes allowed to visit the shop without worrying for his doughy life, he still hates going there bc Gus WORKS there and he always seems to work the counter when he comes in. And hes always so quick to look at him like 😏 what brings you in today mr. 🍕head? 😏 like its so infuriating 😭😭😭

[vitosscaletta]

🍓 🍓 🍓🍓🍓🍓 for ALL your vampire kids! 🦇

AIRIKA..TY FOR MY LIFE! ok this is gonna be long 

CHRISTIAN

🍓 — he’s over 300 years old (that technically makes him an elder according to the lore book… overpowered king) & was embraced in the 1600s, he was the son of a french marquis back in the day 😳 He lived in Versailles for a long time & considered it his home even though people would literally shit in the corners there -_-

🍓 — has NO idea how technology works… he has one of those ugly early 2000s flip phones because he saw other people having those but has absolutely no idea how to use them, much less a computer. Most people just think he’s ~romantic or something for writing letters but he really has no idea how to write an email :(

🍓 — He’s the baron of Bel Air.. has a nice mansion there bc living for over 300 years gives you time to hoard that much money ig. 

🍓 — His grand-sire (??) is Helen of Troy 😳 overpowered af bloodline

🍓 — He doesn’t care about vampire politics in the slightest and is sort of aligned with the camarilla bc he has power within them but there’s no loyalty or conviction.. the main reason he’s in it is to start drama and watch it unfold 💅 He and La🥐 can’t stand each other but also can’t do anything about it… Strauss is okay with him but they’d also sell each other out for one corn chip.. He’s sort of frenemies with Gary, they hate each other because… yknow toreador and nosferatu but they’re equally shady so there’s mutual respect… in an odd way 

🍓 — He doesn’t have any other childe..r… whatever the term is except miss Helena.. he hangs around humans a lot but has no real attachment to them (except being kind of a hoe and.. yknow.). She’s the first mortal in a long time he felt anything for which was mostly just good old toreador obsession but he thought it was love.. she vaguely resembled a lost love of his. and had potential I guess so he actually got permission for embracing her babey… just not from her bc he didn’t even consider someone wouldn’t want to be a vampire.. 🙄

HELENA

🍓 — Having OP Christian as her sire did have its perks even though she hates his guts for embracing her… She automatically had a pretty good position within the camarilla through connection alone :^) she works as sort of an informant/spy for the prince directly.. which puts her at odds with a bunch of people - they either think she’s an inexperienced little girl who doesn’t know what she’s doing and works for an incompetent prince OR hate her for being in his sort of inner circle without having to work for it (like Victoria. she thinks that)

🍓 — CRINGE but it be like that sometimes… she’s descended from a looong line of vampire/witch hunters on her dad’s side - he’s from a catholic german family who was largely involved with the society of Leopold. Michael himself wasn’t overly religious (still studied theology but didn’t actually care) and left all of this behind when he moved to america & got married but after he and Jenny divorced he was like “know what… time to become a zealot again”. His ex-wife and daughters are completely unaware of that of course 😳 dunno if Helena sees him again after becoming a vampire 🙄 but yknow.

🍓 — Doesn’t have any of the “vampires are better than mortals” superiority complex that a lot of the others seem to have.. does think thin-bloods are losers though kjdkjdfnms

🍓 — Only video game she plays is the sims!! she bought ts1 when it came out for fun and got hooked.. ts2 is even better!!!!! first thing she did was make a sim that resembles her and marries a business tycoon 💅💸

🍓 — owned one (1) YSL dress she bought from her savings (which was USED)  but she couldn’t afford anything else so she just wears it with something she found at hot topic every time she goes out with her rich fake friends pre embrace. When she works for La🤡 and actually makes some money she can afford a SECOND dress babey! with shoes!!!

🍓 — She’s actually really into some standard 2004 radio pop songs but also emo songs at the same time.. except the genre didn’t have anything good in 2004 except three cheers for sweet revenge (she’s also really into evanescence, green day and blink 182 which isn’t really emo but it was still part of the experience™ nfdkjdf) - which is also her entire aesthetic summed up, emo meets theatre kid prep.. Helena: *googles “how to look like Gerard Way and Britney Spears at the same time makeup tutorial”*

ERIN

🍓 — sdjhsdh cringe but she’s always been kind of a weirdo but was pretty good at hiding it/acting normal & was part if the prep gang in her high school days (not the leader, more the kind of the replaceable third wheel), she always preferred hanging out with the weirdos though. Post-embrace everyone just thinks “lol crazy malkavian” so she’s just like 🤷‍♀️.. 

🍓 — Her sire, Ray, was suuuch a freak but she liked him because he was something.. different in her sheltered, dull life and made her feel excitement she hasn’t felt in a long time. He bails on her after embracing her bc he sired her without permission & fears execution (even though literally no one cares or even knows he sired someone) but has letters delivered to her from time to time instructing her what to do lol

🍓 — Actually enjoys the freedom vampirism gives her? She’s officially dead so she has the option to start again and be whoever she wants to be… it’s scary at first bc she has no idea what’s going on and where these voices come from but she gets used to it, also the voice of her late grandmother in her head is a comforting presence for her… I imagine she’s actually in there kinda like the heart in dishonored, afterlife isn’t her granddaughter’s mind but it’s sort of an echo of her? IDK she tinkered with magic in life so supernatural schizophrenia added that to Erin’s mind.

🍓 — She loves early 2000′s radio pop (yknow.. Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson… etc) but also classical music, stuff from the 20′s, alternative rock, the early 2000s goth music that’s playing in L.A.’s nightclubs …. she’s gonna thrive in 2006 when a fever you can’t sweat out drops!!!

🍓 — She’s part of the anarchs but mostly hangs out in hollywood or downtown (only goes to santa monica to visit the asylum (BEST nightclub ever in her onion. isolated SLAPS)

🍓 — yknow in the 2000s when people had invader zim merch from hot topic.. she owns this backpack 🤦‍♀️ it clashes with the rest of her style which is already a horrendous mix of victorian/early 20th century gothic and 2004 prep style 

VICTORIA  

🍓 — her background is still a BIG wip but she was born at some point in the late twenties/early thirties and embraced in 1954 :^) she was a bit of a workaholic and had an intense work ethic but never made it far within the company she was working for because it’s the fifties (thinking maybe it was her father’s company bc she was RICH.. there was a feud between her & a few male relatives on who’s gonna lead or something)… She was eventually noticed by a ventrue businessman who thought her ambition and no-nonsense attitude would be a great addition to the clan - She was promised a opportunity to rise within a different society without le sexism. Go white feminist queen!

🍓 — her embrace wasn’t really what she thought it would be.. drinking other’s blood REPULSES her and she has a hard time adjusting to it, plus kindred society isn’t really what she imagined - by the time she’s embraced L.A. has no camarilla presence so there’s really nothing for her to do so she moves to New York to join them there.. except she’s stuck with a shitty job and no one taking her seriously because of her age 😒 When they establish a presence in Los Angeles she’s the first to suck up to the prince & be assigned a somewhat high position (I guess adviser to the ventrue primogen and also being tight with the prince is good!!)

🍓 — She dresses very business-y BUT always designer bc she got money 😳 her wardrobe is chic but also minimalist, also with a hint of fifties design because fashion peaked then in her opinion.. mostly in dark colors, reds, browns and mostly black combined with minimal jewelry and high heels… very very elegant

🍓 — genuinely loves romcoms from the 50s and 60s (doris day & rock hudson movies b*tch!!) but also “newer” one from the 90s and 2000′s.. notting hill, pretty woman and 13 going on 30 are her favorites that she watches when she’s off duty, cozy in her downtown apartment.. but don’t tell anyone 😤

🍓 — She’s THE queen bee within the L.A. camarilla… doesn’t have any friends in her workplace but she’s respected by everyone and that’s what matters to her (it does get lonely sometimes but it be like that. She’s not gonna give up her status for shallow friendships 😒)

🍓 — loves those ugly small 90s/2000s glasses but they clash with every outfit she has so she doesn’t wear them

[wadefm-blog]

           ⋆ ╰  another  year  at  hollingsworth  ,  another  year  of  the  big  six  rivalry  .  i  hear  that  AURIELLA  WADE  is  ensuring  KAPPA  KAPPA  DELTA  gets  a  solid  pledge  class  and  stays  at  the  top  of  the  ranks  . oh  ,  you’re  not  familiar  with  HER  ?  AURI  is  the  ZENDAYA   look  alike  from  PACES  ,   ATLANTA  ,  GEORGIA .  apart  of  PC  ‘16  ,  she  is  majoring  in  COMMUNICATIONS and  has  plans  to  WORK  IN  PUBLIC  RELATIONS  DEPARTMENT  AT  SEPHORA  after  undergrad  .  it  makes  sense  they  pledged  their  house  ,  their  SCINTILLATING  &  BEWITCHING attributes  make  them  perfect  matches  .  however  ,  their  INDELICATE  &  VAINGLORIOUS attributes  keep  their  name  alive  on  greek  rank .  if  you  don’t  catch  them  dancing  to  BEEF  FLOMIX  -  FLO  MILLI  at  a  fraternity  band  party  this  year  ,  you’ll  be  sure  to  catch  them  nursing  their  morning  hangover  at  THE  KAPPA  HOUSE . cheers to  another  wild  semester  !

          *  insert  feral  screeching  here  *  hello  angels  and  babes  !  my  name’s  ares ,  i  prefer  the  pronouns  she / they  and  i’m  from  the  eastern  tz  !  i’m  so ,  so  excited  to  be  here  and  i’m  EXTRA  excited  to  be  playing  my  actual  queen  miss  zendaya  !  with  that  being  said , don’t  ask  me  a  single  thing  about  euphoria  because  i  haven’t  watched  it  yet  (  since  i  have  the  brain  capacity  of  a  two  brain  cell  bitch  )  but  it’ll  happen  ....  *  spongebob  narrator  vc *  eventually .  with  that  being  said ,  i  can’t  wait  to  talk  to  and  plot  with  everyone  because  i’m  already  obsessed  !  my  discord  is  𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡𝐨𝐟_𝖊𝖇𝖔𝖞𝖘#6936  if  that  makes  it  easier  for  the  plotting  process ,  but  without  further  ado ,  here’s  my  baby  auri  !

full name. auriella kyla wade. nicknames. auri. birthday / age. december 25th, 1996 / 22. zodiac. capricorn. gender. cisfemale. pronouns. she/her/hers. sexual orientation. bisexual. romantic orientation. biromantic. height. five foot ten inches ( 5′10″ ). hometown. paces, atlanta, georgia ( click ). current location. savannah, georgia. nationality. american. ethnicity. scottish, german, and african american. languages. english, conversational german and spanish.

          whitney young and tristan wade were high school sweethearts, meeting each other when they were a sophomore and junior, respectively. the couple was madly in love and remained that way, even though tristan was the talk of the town since he was the best quarterback their high school had seen in years. most expected for the couple to run into cheating and mishaps, but tristan was madly in love with whitney, so much so that he proposed to her with a small ring that he promised to replace once he made it to the nfl. whitney followed tristan to berkeley, one of the hardest schools to get into, but also one of the hardest schools to get scouted for. 

          tristan made it through to his senior year and was the #1 draft pick of 1992, and signed with the dallas cowboys. after his first year in the nfl, he proposed to whitney with the bigger ring as promised and even though tristan played for the cowboys, the couple lived in atlanta due in part to whitney getting her dream job at cnn. at that time, the job was still a bit on the entry-level side, but she was happy to have had her foot in the door.

          four years later, after the couple married in a beautiful reception in miami, whitney and tristan welcomed their daughter auriella kyla into the world. born on christmas day, auriella was considered to be their little christmas miracle. in short, whitney and tristan were the aisha and steph of the 90s, but in football instead of basketball. the couple were envied due to their success, and were even featured on an episode of mtv cribs during the first season. 

          growing up, auriella was mainly raised between atlanta and texas. she went to school and lived in atlanta, but her parents also had a home in texas that was used during the football season. auriella attended the most elite schools that money and atlanta could give her, so she grew up surrounded with people who had immense wealth and influence. by the time she reached high school, she had become a girl who knew exactly what she wanted and how she was going to get it, no matter who she had to step on in order to get it. she wanted to be student body president ? she’d bribe the voters. wanted a specific superlative in the yearbook ? be fake friends with the yearbook staff. when it came to her grades, though, auriella worked hard for those and dared anyone to challenge her on that.

          come her senior year at north atlanta high school, auriella was named prom queen and most likely to be successful, two things that she made sure to have from the moment she stepped foot into the building. auriella had applied to and been accepted into a few schools, including her parents’ alma mater uc berkeley, but it was the university of hollingsworth that called her name after taking a tour of the campus. she loved that she wasn’t too far from the beach, and she even clicked with a few people she came in contact with during the tour.

          so, auriella packed her bags and decided to major in communications at #hworth. during rush week, no one had expected for her to rush kappa, considering auriella’s air of superiority, but in a way -- it worked best for her. even though she had the cushion of her parents’ wealth, auriella wasn’t dumb by any means and she knew how to get exactly what she wanted -- was the bribing again ? probably, but she’ll never tell. and, it didn’t help that her mother was a legacy of kappa at their berkeley chapter.

          she has plans of working at sephora following graduation due in part to the fact that she did an internship with colorpop over the summer and wants to be a part of the publicity of a brand as big as sephora. it helps that she’s done various brand sponsorships over the last couple of years, and immediately fell in love with sephora after she worked with them a few times. 

          as for her personality, in regard to her positive traits scintillating and bewitching,  auriella is remarkably clever and ridiculously charismatic. she knows how to get her sisters out of sticky situations no matter the issue and she knows how to get past any issues that someone might encounter while she works as social chair with the sorority ( if that hasn’t been taken ! ) 99.9% of the time, auriella is working at her desk whether it be getting kappa’s social events prepared to also getting her own assignments done. she’s pretty much known around campus due to her crisp white tesla and the sound of her heels clicking on the sidewalk. when she’s like that, she means business. 

          as for her negative traits, auriella is indelicate and vainglorious. meaning that she shows a lack of sensitive understanding and excessively proud of oneself or one’s achievements. in short, when she wants something to be done and it doesn’t get completed, she doesn’t accept excuses and whenever she doesn’t get exactly what she wants, she uses her accomplishments in order to fix things. for instance, when she received a lower grade on her assignment when she thought she deserved higher, her immediate response was ‘ i haven’t been on the dean’s list since freshman year to get a B+, margaret. ’

          since we haven’t talked about her parents in a while, just know that whitney had her own show with cnn in new york city while tristan has since retired from football after winning four super bowls with various teams and has become a sports commentator with espn as well as an businessman/entrepreneur ( something like shaq ). with that being said, during the summers, auriella has free reign of their house in paces since her parents have made new york their permanent home for now.

          some minor things about auriella is that whenever she doesn’t have classes, she often is at the kappa house or maybe somewhere on campus. i think she’s the type to be a part of various clubs, and probably is the president of them, so she’s a busy gal. when she’s not in class though, nine times out of ten she’s wearing a face mask and walking around the kappa house in a massively over-sized shirt that she nabbed from one of her .... ~ahem, conquests. she is never seen on campus in anything less than heels with her favorite bag of the moment, which at this time is a soft pink hermes kelly bag. 

          as for connections ( and then i’ll promise to shut up because i always talk too fucking much ), i would love to have anything ! ex friends, friends to enemies, hateship, bad/good influence, childhood friends, confidants, fake friends, enemies to friends, frenemies, squad, childhood friends, exes on good/bad terms, flirtationship, one night stand(s), exes without closure ... literally anything ! if you see auri fitting in in any connections that you may have open, please let me know i’m literally down for anything !

[scnofcain-blog]

( MUSE H )  charles michael davis ? no, i’m certain that’s just rowan ( he/him ), a member of the cain family. the thirty-four year old greengrocer is known to be extremely patient and also very spiteful. when i think of them i picture freshly pressed white shirts, hushed conversations behind closed doors, & the sound of rustling leaves. ( cami + nineteen + she/her )

hey guys !! cami here, gmt bitch, real tired person. please accept my man. 

also a sidenote: i am not a very consistent person so me using a medium gif here, a gif icon on a starter and an icon on a different thread? likely.

when the big four families settled and accumulated power, they were in equal footing. wealth, respect, ambition. the cains' reputation, however, took quite a dip in the last few years. marianna cain was the only child and heiress to the cain legacy - whispers told of her yearning for more, perhaps marriage to someone from the other important families to cement her growing relevance. instead, she picked an engineer with no relevant name or status, and dressed him up with her own surname, by then just dangling to survive oblivion, that was likely to take it away.

together, marianna and nathan revitalized the family businesses, and soon the wealth began to flow in again, uninterrupted. their mines, especially, saw a level of development unheard of since the settlement. regardless of their success though, the choice made by the heiress in a critical time told the others that the cains did not search for power, that they were not a TREAT. for as much money and jobs as they generated, the cains were to be underestimated, as they still are.

rowan was the firstborn. the pregnancy was very high risk, providing many scares to the entire family through the journey. the delivery of the premature baby nearly took marianna's life, and rowan's was hanguing by a thread for a bit as well. the rather traumatic experience deterred the family from having any more biological children, but they weren't satisfied - only a few years later, they adopted a baby boy, whom they named roman.

the small family thrived for some years. marianna and nathan were hands-on parents, always present in their children's lives despite their own busy schedules. love, nurturing and a sense of union never lacked in the house, even when the two contrasting boys butted heads and argued. somehow, the two seemed to cushion any fall.

rowan accepted a feeling of duty from a very early age. no one imposed it on him but the boy himself, as there was this seed of ambition buried inside him fighting to burst out. with his soft nature and passion for the quieter things in life, no one would have guessed he'd one day turn into a sharp businessman, but rowan carved that path for himself. his surname was on those documents his mother signed and on the side of those trucks and on those plaques. he could always feel the responsibility they emanated.

growing up, he didn't devote himself to studious pursuits. instead, he moved semi-permanently to one of the many countryside houses his family owned, and during the week followed around relatives and advisors to learn their trade hands-on. slowly, they began giving him some actual jobs, but even then, past the age of twenty, it felt like his parents were easing him into it, protecting him from failure.

( death tw, parental death tw ) rowan had turned twenty one the previous month and his brother was barely sixteen years old. during a tour through one of their newest facilities to an investor, the platforms shook and everything collapsed. under the rubble were buried HUNDREDS of people, including mine workers and the two cains. very few survived, and the heads of the family were not lucky. the accident came with not only grief but guilt, as lawsuits began piling up, both from relatives of the deceased and survivors of the event. the cains hadn't just died, no. they had taken the lives of over a hundred people in a disaster beyond imagination.

rowan's pragmatism got him through most of it all. there were businesses to be run and a reputation to repair. without nearly as much experience as necessary, the man took over more and more positions until, shortly after, all the roles his parent's had occupied were replaced by him. one man doing the job of two, because no one else could do it right. no one else could uphold it to the same standards and plans as those two. because if someone else took even just a bit of the weight that was crushing him to the ground, he'd be able to breathe, and rowan didn't wish to do so. a busy mind left no room for mourning.

meanwhile, his younger brother grew more and more out of control. marianna and nathan had been an integral part of their lives even as they grew older, acting as the glue between their clashing personalities, softening any friction that would arise. without them, and with how each of the boys chose to deal with their hurt, the two drifted apart. hard as he tried, rowan could never be their parents, nor could any of his kind words undo the damage of losing them in such a brutal way. eventually, those words earned hard edges, louder ones, frustration mingled with worry - no one would recognize them now as the siblings they once were.

roman calmed down eventually, refocusing his life a bit more and finding worthier pursuits. his older brother sits on the office his mother once owned, spends most of his nights in his childhood home, still takes care of lawsuits that keep pouring in from the collapse. it is as if rowan's clock has stopped, leaving him stranded in a role that isn't his and in a constant reminder of the tragic day that tore the family apart. in a sense, he resents his little brother, who was able to walk away from it all.

recently, however, the two began spending more time together, even though it has led mostly to arguments, their views clashing against each other again and again. the climate of insurrection spreading through creon comes as the perfect wave which the cains would ride onto reignited glory: still sitting in a very low point, the family has united to discuss the power struggle, their views on the right of an oligarchy, their opinions on the rebel groups, they ALLIANCE with some of them. behind closed doors, the cains hide from the reputation that follows that, that makes them weak. they reconvene in the one whisper they never tried to kill, that they were allies of the common man, who had no power, no status, no name.

nathan cain often spoke about his insatisfaction with the way creon was run, and his older son absorbed every word he said, clinging to it with devotion. as he grew older, his eyes turned to books, to the search for how things were done before those four decided the world was theirs to rule. many of the revolutionary rhetorics in streets now resonate with the debates he'd have with his father, the suggestions, the unconformity. from within of the system, rowan was raising questions from the very start, and now the time has come for him to whisper it just a bit louder.

HEADCANONS:

despite being a self-proclaimed not-intellectual, rowan has an impressive personal library, many of the books in it being non-fiction and earth classics.

have you seen the powerhouse that cmd is? rowan might be just a little too into fitness. catch him in his morning jog. catch him growing kale. fight him.

his obsession with work and duty make him a very unreliable person, especially to loved ones. it is certainly one of his biggest regrets, yet he doesn't seem to be able to hop off of that moving train: he's lost most touch with his brother, his most recent relationship ended with a fizzled out engagement a year ago, friends keep walking away... life is kinda passing him by and so are all the people he wishes he could keep close, yet he always does the exact opposite.

in the last few years, rowan has shifted the family business focus from the mines to the many plots of land they own. not a single one has been neglected, and creon is currently facing a bonanza of produce and livestock - the trucks with the cain logo on the side are a common sight everywhere, and they have very much monopolized the pantries and fridges of creon.

just as hands-on as his parents before him, rowan is constantly visiting both the farmlands and the places where they end up. the optics are great, and it truly has brought a feeling of proximity between this big family and the rest - how much of this is propaganda and how much is genuine is a bit up for debate.

his patience knows no bounds, except for maybe his brother. rowan is the definition of laying low and waiting, seething, preparing. it is near impossible for most people to get a rise out of him, to make him show anything but politeness and good spirits. he is, however, a very resentful person, and can hold a grudge for far longer than most would assume.

no matter how much he rises up, rowan will always see himself as an impostor, in a place he wasn't fully prepared to take over, in a role that wasn't his, in a life he didn't pick. while he does his best to act as the good negotiator, some people have and will pick at his hidden core and insecurity, and it is very much a way to get inside his head. 

character parallels: julia wicker, aaron burr, annalise keating, robb stark, jack pearson, scott mccall, terry jeffords, jackson avery, setev rogers, laurel lance, randall pearson, chloe decker, clarke griffin, harvey kinkle, daisy johnson, alexander hamilton & alan zaveri.

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

the other cains. that can be the ones in the family page or, as long as you message someone else from the family, any other relative !! they are very much united, especially right now, when it comes to the politics of creon and the times of rebellion, so this could lead to some interesting strength for the cains or even weakness if your character doesn’t agree with the way things are heading. backstab us pls. be the snitch.

ex-fiancée. him and rowan broke up a few months into their engagement, mostly because of how little time, attention and love really the cain gave him. things might be !! sad and awkward, or more angsty if we wanna throw in some other stuff that lead to the collapse of the relationship, or even a little flame that is still there and that is killing the both of them !! hurt me 

a new chance. someone love this man then. commit the same errors as those before him and think that this time it will be different. hurt yourself

look at him. someone dick down this man. he might not have the time or emotional vulnerability for a healthy relationship but he certainly can find a break to go have fun !! 

rebel rebel, your face is a mess. the cains are threading dangerous territory with the opposition to the big four families, by getting closer and closer and trying to allign themselves with their movement. this could lead to some interesting friendships, alliances or full on mistrust and clashing of ideas !! rebel leaders and just your good rebels ready to rise up or at least hear the others out, vote cain for the people i guess

fight him. maybe one of your character’s relatives died during the infamous collapse of the mine. maybe you just don’t like the persona of the man of the people who, simultaneously, is sitting on a fortune and on power. maybe you think he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. anyway, fight him

an old friend. someone who somehow has stuck by his side through all these years. they’ve been friends since they were just children. life has moved on and they’ve both changed a lot so bring me some drAMA

pals pals pals. even though most of his come and go, mostly by his wrong doing, someone please befriend this man. take him out for drinks. pls. 

[dangmanronpaimagines]

Hajime, Hoshi, Mukuro, Mikan, ibuki, kiibo with shsl miracle s/o that lively and happy-go-lucky? Like good luck or miracles happen to them and people around them?

An Ultimate Miracle sounds interesting! I could see how itcan come with a lot of flaws and unique traits for a character with thatability. It’s almost like having Ultimate Luck, in a sense. Anyways, it’sobviously not my original idea so I didn’t really get crazy with this. I justwanted to say it’s an interesting idea!

Aaaalso, I know I’ve already done this before, but I had toleave out Mukuro. Technically she’s a part of the first game, but not much ofher personality is explained. So, I can’t write about her. I should really getcrackin’ on watching the anime.

Hajime Hinata

Hajime’s the type of guy that stays grounded in reality, soat first, he’s pretty unsure about your talent. Not that he thinks you’relying, but… your talent involves good luck and miracles? Really? He takes yourword for it, but it’s pretty obvious that he doesn’t take it seriously until hesees some extreme cases of it.

For example, you and Hajime are walking down the street. You’reholding hands, enjoying the day happily as you two usually do when all of asudden, a car on the road suddenly swerves erratically until it finally flipsover and ends up upside down on the road!! Whoa! That’s a huge tragedy, right? Wrong. The driver ends up okay, no oneelse was injured, and best of all, a rich businessman saw the whole incident andoffered to replace the man’s car free of charge. What a lovely world we livein.

“Alright, S/O… maybe miracles do happen around you…” He’s stilla little skeptical, but the more he spends time around you, the more herealizes it’s true. He’ll come to terms with it eventually.

The other part of his S/O’s talent, however, is what headores the most. It’s your personality! Such a sweet and kind S/O who alwayslooks on the bright side makes his heart soar and his mind clear up. Honestly,he needs more of that in his life since he can be too serious sometimes.  

Ryoma Hoshi

He believes you from the get-go, more or less. You’reofficially an ultimate, right? Who’s he to say that you aren’t? However, beforeyou two became a thing, he was adamant on making sure that you weren’t aroundhim. He really didn’t want someone sopositive being around a guy that was so negative, like him. But jeez were you persistent. How you twoeventually ended up together is a miracle in itself, but that’s just the way itworked. He never stood a chance against you if being with him is what youreally wanted.

He’s talked with you about your ultimate talent a number of times.He says it so casually, but his genuine opinion on it makes you blush everytime. “I don’t think your talent makes it so you attract the miracles to othersand yourself. I think you’re just the personification of a miracle. You just beingaround someone makes them feel better.” He’s just being honest. It makes himembarrassed seeing you so embarrassed… It’s not like what he said was that romantic, c’mon S/O…

He won’t really admit it, but he feels like when you’re notaround him, something will go wrong. Nothing bad ever happens, but you’vebecome such a ray of sunshine that without you there it’s like it startspouring rain.

Mikan Tsumiki

Oh, she’s so happy to have such a kind-hearted S/O! Ofcourse, when she first met you, she was pretty overwhelmed. Why were you beingso kind to her? D-Did you want something from her…? Did you want her money? Didyou want her to act like a pig? Strip? What?

She would’ve started apologizing as soon she saw the revoltedexpression on your face, but… there was only a bright smile. Then a cheerylaugh, followed by “No! I want to talk with you. I like your hair! You looksuper cute, too.” From that moment forward, the Ultimate Miracle became veryimportant to the Ultimate Nurse. There would still be moments where Mikan’sinsecurities come into the mix, but they appeared less often than they would ifMikan would hang out with anyone else from her class. It was like you had thepower to bring out the good in Mikan! After years of traumatic experiences,Mikan truly felt like she was experiencing a miracle.

Also, it feels like everything goes a lot better after Mikanstarts befriending and eventually dating you. Unfortunately, since Mikan receivessuch highs of happiness when around you, she’s almost afraid of separating formore than a few moments at a time. Because of this, she can become reallyclingy and even a bit obsessive at times. This is the only negative side toher, but luckily with an Ultimate Miracle, only a good future is on the horizonfor this couple.

Ibuki Mioda

KE-HAHAHAH! HOW CUTE!!! Ibuki thinks you’re super cute! Such ahappy person, such a charmer! She honestly enjoys having you around, as youtruly are a miracle. She would be the one most likely to not make such a hugedeal out of her S/O’s miraculous talent, only using it to tease you every sooften. Other than that, she doesn’t really think that your personality shouldbe tied to your ability! You’re a person before you’re an ultimate!!

Ibuki likes having you around often, as you’re usually theonly ones that can really keep up with her upbeat personality. You… might not be as energetic, but even without yourabilities, you can certainly see why Ibuki acts with such passion. That’s whatIbuki looks for in a partner, anyways! She wants someone who can trust her andyou do just that. Wow, what a MIRACLE her S/O is. (*・∀-)☆

Whenever Ibuki talks about herfuture, she sometimes tries to coax you into mentioning yours. Yeah, you’re amiracle, but how will you use it? What will you do? “S/O can always travel withme on world tours when Ibuki becomes ultra famous!” “There’s nothing I’d ratherdo! I would love to spend the rest of my life with you as you fulfil yourdreams.” ZING, ONE-HIT KO!! You’re akeeper.

Kiibo

He’s a little confused on how harnessing the power of a ‘miracle’can really be made into a talent. A miracle is a ‘surprising event that cannotbe explained by natural or scientific laws’… Does that mean that you are asupernatural phenomenon? He’d like to stick around and learn more about you, ifthat’s alright.

That’s how you both start learning about each in the firstplace. After hanging out with you many, many times (sometimes under the guise of wanting to learn about you, andtotally not because he just wants toexperience this joy inside of him whenever you are near) you two eventuallywind up together. While there are many aspects of your talent that are stilldubious to him, he enjoys the affects that it gives on your personality.Honestly, having such a lively S/O really shows him the positive aspects ofhuman-kind. His perspective on humanity might become a little warped due to theamount of good things that happen to everyone around you on a daily basis, butfor the most part it’s a great thing. He also inherits some of your attitudeand becomes a little more brighter than he would’ve been without you. His S/Ois a definite positive influence.

By some sort ofmiracle, Kiibo becomes a real boy! Just kidding. He does feel like he’s becomingmore and more human the more time he spends with you, but that’s just becausehe loves you, not because of your talent.

[khalilhumam]

Does Trump owe Russia? The Supreme Court’s ruling on the president’s taxes may eventually give us answers

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New Post has been published on http://khalilhumam.com/does-trump-owe-russia-the-supreme-courts-ruling-on-the-presidents-taxes-may-eventually-give-us-answers/

Does Trump owe Russia? The Supreme Court’s ruling on the president’s taxes may eventually give us answers

By Elaine Kamarck This week’s Supreme Court decisions on Donald Trump’s finances and tax returns will allow us to finally answer the question that has hung over his presidency from the earliest days: Is Donald Trump a brilliant businessman and a visionary statesman or is he a bogus billionaire who has been propped up by Russian money? The information on Trump’s finances may not come out in time to impact his re-election campaign but it will have a profound impact on his legacy. The Court considered two cases. In the first, Trump v. Vance, the ruling means that Trump’s accounting firm will have to hand over financial records to the New York County District Attorney’s office. Once Trump is no longer president, prosecutors could use the information to accuse him of crimes. At any time, they could use the information to accuse his children or his associates of crimes. The other decision, Mazars v. Trump, keeps Congress away from Trump’s records but only until they can make a better case on the separation of powers issues. Both decisions were 7-to-2 votes with two Trump justices, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, voting with the majority and against Trump. Eventually the decisions announced today may help explain Trump’s love affair with Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin. From the earliest days of his presidency Trump has advocated policies towards  Russia that are not grounded in any coherent foreign policy and that have been at odds with the foreign policy goals of most of the Republican Party. Alone amongst the 2016 Republican presidential candidates, Trump had a different view of Russia and Ukraine. The first solid evidence came on July 11, 2016 when the Republican platform meeting began. Trump operatives moved to delete language from the platform that would call for “providing lethal defensive weapons” to the Ukraine and replace it with softer language calling for “appropriate assistance.” A few weeks later Trump gave an impromptu news conference from his golf course in Doral, Florida. His suggestion that Russia find Hillary’s 30,000 emails made big news. But he also had a less-well-covered exchange about Crimea and Russia:

“QUESTION: I would like to know if you became president, would you recognize (inaudible) Crimea as Russian territory? And also if the U.S. would lift sanctions that are (inaudible)? TRUMP: We’ll be looking at that. Yeah, we’ll be looking.”

Once in office, Trump proceeded to do things that raised suspicions about his relationship with Russia. He fired the FBI Director James Comey in an attempt to stop an investigation into Russian interference in the campaign, a move that made it look as if he had something to hide. Even after a Republican Senate had issued a report proving Russian interference Trump continued to call the story a hoax—going so far as to say publicly that he believed Vladimir Putin’s denials over the evidence of his own intelligence community. He threw American journalists out of an Oval Office meeting with the Russian Ambassador, he took notes away from the interpreter who sat in on a meeting with Trump and President Putin—leaving no record of the meeting. He has consistently badmouthed NATO and caused rifts in what has been, for decades, the strongest alliance against Russia. In an embarrassing press conference in Helsinki, Trump, a man who is always eager to prove his machismo, instead played lap dog to Vladimir Putin—resulting in howls of condemnation from all across the spectrum, including many Republican Senators. Not too long after that, he withdrew American troops from Syria, leaving it to the Russians. And it wasn’t long after that that he held up military aid to Ukraine in order to try and get dirt on Joe Biden. Trump’s habit of doing things for Russia led House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a famous Oval Office meeting, to assert that with Trump “All roads lead to Putin.” His pattern of doing catering to Putin’s interests resulted in the fact that, in his first three years in office, Trump left behind a long list of disgruntled foreign policy advisors, many of whom quit in protest. And Republican Senators repeatedly departed from their usual fawning praise of the president to object to his foreign policy moves. This year alone, as the country and the world reeled from the coronavirus pandemic and protests against police brutality against African-Americans, Trump continued to confound and disappoint even his Republican supporters when it came to moves that were seen as favorable towards Russia. In June he announced plans to bring home 9,500 American troops out of the 35,000 stationed in Germany. Once again, this sudden move drew strong objections from Republicans as well as Democrats. Early this year a SEAL team raided a Taliban outpost and discovered $500,000 in cash. This led to an investigation indicating that the Russians had been providing Taliban fighters with bounties for killing American soldiers. Trump was apparently briefed on this in late March, although it was in his written briefing, which, he apparently rarely reads. This did not become public until the New York Times reported the story on June 26th. Until that story Trump had continued making favorable statements about Putin, even insisting that Russian be reinstated into the G-7. Faced with an embarrassing situation, Trump dismissed the intelligence as a hoax. Democrats were outraged and demanded an explanation but received only White House spin. And while Republicans largely stayed silent, one Republican Senator, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, said Congress should investigate, asking  “…did the commander in chief know? And if not, how the hell not?” Trump’s romance with Putin has never been easily explained. It is unlikely that it is a case of “kompromat,” which is usually associated with sexual or personal misconduct of one sort or another. Sexual misconduct is unlikely to bother Trump and his supporters. He has already admitted to extra-marital affairs and to grabbing women inappropriately. He has paid off multiple women with whom he had affairs—one of whom was an adult film actress. The other explanation that comes to mind stems from Trump’s out of control narcissism. It is possible that he is so obsessed with the possibility that he won in 2016 solely because of Russian interference that he has gone out of his way to deny any wrongdoing on the part of Russia. In spite of Trump’s rhetoric and veto threat, the Senate did pass a tough Russian sanctions bill early on in the administration. And in late 2017, Trump’s administration reversed its stance in the Republican platform and approved the sale of lethal weapons to Ukraine. The final explanation might be found in his financial dealings. Trump has a long history of doing business with shady Russian characters with ties to Russian intelligence.[1] His behavior in office, beginning with his refusal to release his tax returns and the vehemence with which he has fought any transparency when it comes to his business affairs, leads one to wonder—what does he owe Russia? The Court’s decisions may eventually answer this question one way or the other.

[1] See for instance, Timothy Snyder, The Road to Unfreedom, Crown Publishing, 2018. And House of Trump, House of Putin, by Craig Unger, Dutton Books, 2018.

[thorne93]

Opposites Attract (Part 1)

Prompt: Star Wars AU. Businessman!Kylo Ren and artist!Rey. They are worlds apart, so what happens when their worlds collide?

Characters: Kylo Ren, Rey, Finn, Poe, Han, Hux, Leia, Matt the IT Tech (eventually), Anakin Skywalker (mentioned), and a myriad of OFCs

Pairings: Kylo Ren x Rey

Warning: language, meanness…?

Word Count: 2652

Note: This was a team effort of @like-a-bag-of-potatoes my husband, and my bfffll Ben. Thanks  a million everyone!

Song: Fall Together - The Temper Trap

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I know, I know!” Rey stressed into the phone as she went into her coffee shop, trying to ignore the chilling wind as it whipped at her dark brown hair and face. “It’ll be ready before the gallery tonight, I promise.”

“It better be,” Han threatened back in a playful tone. Han was the most laid back agent in the business and Rey was lucky to have him on her side. Her paintings, drawings, and charcoal work was selling decently but there had been a lull lately. She knew her last piece was important.

“I’ll send someone over at three to collect the last painting, then I’ll meet you at your apartment at five to go to the gallery. Do you have a dress picked out?”

“A dress?” Rey questioned. Dresses were not her wheelhouse, she was much more a shorts and blouse sort of girl, or a nice wide legged pant with a button down. But she did have a few short dresses just for these occasions. “Yes, I have a dress, but do I have to wear it?”

“It’ll be expected that the artist be dressed nicer,” he explained simply. Rey had done several of these galleries, but she asked every time how to get out of wearing a dress.

“Alright, alright, I’ll see you at 5.” Rey hung up with Han, ordered her favorite latte and waited, thinking about how to finish her last painting for the gallery. It was a swirl of red, white, and black, but she wanted more. She needed a figure in it, but wasn’t sure how to position it. The order came up and she grabbed her daily latte and raced out of the shop slamming into a body, the hot coffee exploding all over the stranger.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” she apologized fervishly as she looked at the all black suit and designer overcoat and red scarf. Her eyes trailed up to a man with long black curly hair. Her breathing stopped, her eyes reached his and they seemed to be scorching her from within.

“What the hell?” he screeched, breaking the mesmerization. “This suit is $3000.”

“I said I was sorry,” she said back, her cheeks getting red from anger and embarrassment.

“Sorry won’t replace this suit. Are you always so blind and clumsy?”

Rey pulled back from the insult and glared at the stranger. “No! I just--”

“Just what?” he barked. “Forget it, get out of my way.” The tall stranger pushed around her and went inside the coffee shop.

Rey stood there on the sidewalk, dumbfounded as she held her half empty coffee in hand. She really wanted another latte, but didn’t want to go inside and have to face that man again. He was intimidating beyond any degree. Shaking her head, she just sipped the coffee and scurried away from the shop back to her studio. In front of her painting, she stood staring, tapping a clean paintbrush against her lips, then chewing on it slightly.

Hmm, a figure….a figure...a tall figure...with dark hair….dark...curly hair….She had it. Even though the man made her scared to her core, he was a good subject. With no sexual intention, she decided to paint a nude form of him, from behind. Her hand did more work than her mind as she dipped it in black paint and began making the strides on the large canvass before her when she heard her studio door open.

“Rey?” Finn called out, entering.

“Hey, Finn,” she called mindlessly back, her eyes never leaving the canvass.

-------------------

“What on earth happened to you?” Hux, the red headed Vice President, asked Kylo as he went by, suit soaked and ruined.

“Some dumb woman slammed into me on the street, probably thinking about her next trip to SOHO instead of paying attention to where she was going.”

“You have a meeting with the board in thirty minutes,” Hux reminded, sneering at the suit.

“I’ve got a spare. Just get Andrea to take this to the cleaner.” He reached into his closet in his ridiculously expansive office and went into his private bathroom to change.

----------------------------

A shutter sound resonated behind her and a small smile played at her lips, she knew he was keeping a portfolio of artists in action, or at least that’s what he called it. To both of their knowledge, he just photographed her. Finn was much more of a street photographer, but either way, he loved things in their natural state, and for Rey, painting, drawing, charcoal, oils, pastels, graphic - any art, was the most natural state she could be in.

“Whatcha got? Ready for the gallery tonight?” Finn wondered as he wandered up behind her, careful not to orbit too close to her in action, as the response could be visceral.

“Yeah, I’m just wrapping up this last piece.”

“Is that...a man?”

“Yes,” she answered matter-of-factly.

“Is he nude?”

“Yes.”

“Oh? Do you have a new guy?” Finn questioned.

She laughed a light laugh. “No, nothing of the sort.”

“So where did said inspiration come from?” Finn demanded as he gestured to the painting from behind her.

“I...I met a guy outside of Lucille’s today,” Rey explained, almost as if recalling a dream.

“But he’s not a new boyfriend? So you have a date with him?”

“Not exactly. I ran into him and ruined his suit, he told me off, and went inside.”

“Doesn’t sound like a magical encounter to me,” he noted, confusion in his voice.

“It wasn’t magical...but there was something about him that...I don’t know...He just fits this painting, wouldn’t you agree?”

Finn chuckled before taking out a breakfast sandwich out of a bag on her workbench. “Uh, I’m not the best judge on whether a guy’s ass looks good.”

“Oh hush,” she chastised teasingly as she waved the paintbrush at him, wrinkling her nose. “How did your prints come out? From the Macy’s shoot?”

Finn rolled his eyes as he thought of that day. “Ugh, they came out well, but the models, Rey, the models drove me insane.”

“I thought you loved being surrounded by half naked women?” she asked with a smirk as she glanced at him over her shoulder, then back to concentrate on the nude stranger.

“Not half naked women who only nag, complain, and fail to follow direction. You know what was the highlight of my day? Shooting Santa. Something about getting Santa, in Macy’s, on 34th Street, just…”

“I get it,” she said knowingly. Finn was her neighbor and best friend, they’d known each other since high school, agreeing to move to NYC for NYU and got an apartment together. Then their art took off in different directions and Rey needed a studio away from her apartment and Finn needed a dark room, they purchased workspaces and apartments across the hall from each other. Both of them successful, it was their dreams coming true, they were both orphaned and only had each other...Until they met local sculptor, Poe Dameron.

“Where is our successful girl?” Poe announced as he ran in, his dark curls glistening in the studio light.

“Hey, Poe,” she greeted with a giggle. “I’m just finishing up this painting,” she informed as he danced in with papers and clay.

“I see you’ve taken a turn in your work,” he commented under his breath, a smirk playing out.

“You two seem awfully obsessed with the male body,” Rey teased as she made the last brush stroke on the canvass.

“Not me,” Poe insisted. “What are you wearing?”

“My navy blue cotton dress with the brown suede boots,” she explained as she wiped her brushes, Finn and Poe standing near the workbench with their arms crossed. “Why?”

“I just want to make sure you attract all the right kinds of attention,” Poe said.

“Oh, and what sort of attention is that? The kind that’ll get me nothing but trouble?” A smile pulled at her full lips as her nose crinkled in delight with her two best friends.

“Hey, your definition of trouble is my definition of fun,” he retorted, holding his hands up. “Now come on, I’ve got to brainstorm. I need a piece for my exhibit in a couple of weeks.”

Playfully scoffing, she grabbed her charcoals and pencils and sat at the workbench while Poe went into full scheming mode, making grand gestures with his hands, explaining every aspect of the idea to his friend to note it down. Poe was one of the best sculptors in the city, he’d been approached for a few city planning projects, but for the life of him, he couldn’t draw them on two dimensions. Rey was his medium. Their energies clicked and Poe hardly ever hit a brick wall when they worked together. He’s the one who helped Rey and Finn meet Han.

---------------------------

“Get this back to the artist, I don’t like it,” Kylo instructed to Hux.

Hux stared at it, wondering what was wrong, but dared not question the president. “Right away, sir. Should I also--”

Kylo’s cell phone began ringing, he narrowed his eyes in thought, wondering who it could be, pulled the phone out of his pocket and examined the face and name that filled the screen. Great, it’s father….

He waved his hand and Hux knew to leave the room with his task as Kylo answered the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Ben--”

“It’s Kylo,” he corrected tersely, clenching his fist on the expansive cherrywood desk.

“That’s what your grandfather called you, but you’re still Ben to me,” Han retorted.

“Fine. What did you call for?” he questioned, struggling to keep the animosity out of his voice. Han only called when he wanted something - never money...Just his time and presence usually.

“Can’t a father just call his son?”

Kylo turned to the monitors and keyboard and began work again.

“Not when that son is the president of a marketing conglomerate. I’m very busy…”

“Right. I want you to come to a gallery tonight.”

Kylo stopped his fingers from tapping and held the phone as he looked out of his forty story window to Manhattan. “A gallery? Why? What for?”

“You may find something you like.”

“At a gallery? Father, you know I don’t like art.”

“Ironic coming from an art marketing CEO, don’t you think?” Han joked, only inciting an eyeroll from the impatient son.

“No. I don’t. Is there something special at this gallery?”

“Nothing except the art and the artist. Come on, son, you haven’t been to an exhibit I’ve put on in over a year. It’s for that girl that I keep telling you about. You’ve missed the last three exhibits I put on for her. This one is bigger.”

Kylo thought about it a moment, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

“I’ll think about it. But I’m very busy and I won’t guarantee I’ll make it.”

“All I ask is that you try, kid. Love you, see you tonight.”

Kylo hung up the phone and went back to work, mulling over the request a few times.

--------------------------

After hours of drawing, brainstorming, and lunch, Rey met the pickup at the studio then rushed home to her apartment to get ready. She was a minimalist though when it came to her own beauty. Her dark brown hair was curled loosely in soft waves, a small bit of shimmering eyeshadow, touch of bronzer, and a swipe of pink gloss and she was ready to meet Han. He buzzed her apartment and she ran down to greet him.

“You look great, kid,” he appraised, kissing her on the forehead as he donned gray slacks, a deep gray button down, and a black velvet blazer.

“So do you!”

They rode over to the gallery where Poe and Finn met her, donning tasteful suits, commenting on all of her work.

“You know I hate this part,” Rey whispered to Han as buyers and investors circled the exhibit.

“All a part of the game, sweetie. Now go, go mingle,” he instructed as he pushed her slightly and turned to go attend to something else. Rey cocked a half smile and small wave at everyone in the room as she passed them by. Part of the reason she loved art and became an artists was the fact that it was nothing but her and the canvas. Human interaction wasn’t part of the deal.

Finn rescued her from aimlessly walking the floor and seemed to guide her to people. Buyers peppered her with questions on pieces and future work and other work. Poe came up with champagne and hors d'oeuvres as they began to get out of everyone’s way.

---------------

“Do we really have to be here, Ren?” Hux complained as they strode into the gallery.

“Just for five minutes, I’ll make an appearance and then leave.”

“I don’t care if you spend the ever-loving night here, but why do I have to accompany you?”

Kylo’s face turned angry as he whipped to his vice president. “Because I’m not enduring this alone. You can spare some time. Now come on.”

They walked in and Kylo made a bee-line for Han.

“Alright, I’m here, what do you want me to see?” he demanded, glancing around the room of snobby investors and pretentious people. Foolish waste of time and money, he thought to himself as he tried to avoid eye contact with his father.

“Just...look around. Is that so hard? You may find something you like.”

“Highly doubtful.”

“Well let me at least introduce you to the artist,” Han suggested. He led the way through the dark gallery through walls of paintings to Rey, Finn, and Poe.

“You must be the girl I’ve heard so much about,” Kylo started as he approached the girl from behind but then she spun around. “It’s you!” he accused, anger in his tone as he glared at the young artist. He immediately admonished her outfit, hair, and makeup. Atrocious, he thought.

Her eyes bulged as she gulped, spitting her drink back into the glass flute.

Han was taken aback and asked, “You two know each other?”

“Not exactly,” Rey started until Kylo interjected.

“She dumped coffee on me this morning,” he explained to his father.

“Oh, so this is the girl that ruined your Armani?” Hux assessed, eyeing the girl.

“I did not ‘dump’ the coffee on you,” she retorted. “I accidentally ran into you.”

“Changing the description of the action doesn’t exactly pay for the suit,” he quipped.

“Ben,” Han chastised.

“Who is this?” Rey questioned Han.

“Rey, this is Kylo Ren, my son. Kylo, this is Rey, the artist of the exhibit.”

His eyes left the girl’s face to glance at the sea of paintings. He didn’t know what to make of them, at all. It wasn’t the art he was used to. It was abstract, it was landscapes, it was a myriad of mediums. All he knew was, he didn’t want to know anything about this girl.

“Great. Can I go now?” he questioned, turning to his father.

Han sighed, not wanting to start a fight here.

“Sure, I appreciate you coming by,” he noted, patting Kylo’s shoulder who towered over him.

“Wait!” Rey said. “Let me give you one of my paintings,” she offered, guilt in her voice.

“What could I possibly want with your art?” he spat.

“They’re worth three thousand each. You can sell it if you want.”

Kylo thought for a moment, turning to his right hand, who merely perched an orange eyebrow, a cue that Hux had no real objections for Kylo to consider.

“Alright...Hux, pick one and let’s leave. I’ll be outside,” he informed before stepping out.

Hux took less than five seconds picking one. Without realizing what he had done, he pointed mindlessly at the last painting Rey had finished today...the one with a nude Kylo as the subject.

[cinephiled-com]

New Post has been published on Cinephiled

New Post has been published on http://www.cinephiled.com/interview-nick-offerman-politics-donald-trump-founders-ray-kroc/

Interview: Nick Offerman on Politics, Donald Trump, and ‘The Founder’s’ Ray Kroc

John Lee Hancock’s The Founder tells the fascinating story of Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a struggling milkshake-machine salesman from Illinois, who met two brothers in 1950s Southern California who had invented a new speedy system of making and serving hamburgers and fries. Kroc was so impressed by what the McDonald brothers, Mac (John Carroll Lynch) and Dick (Nick Offerman), were doing in their burger shops that he saw franchise potential. The Founder, written by Robert Siegel (The Wrestler), details how Kroc eventually maneuvered himself into a position to be able to yank the company from the brothers and create his own billion-dollar empire. The film also stars Laura Dern, Linda Cardellini, B.J. Novak, and Patrick Wilson. I sat down with the immensely talented Nick Offerman to discuss similarities between Ray Kroc and Donald Trump as well as some of the darker sides of the American Dream.

Danny Miller: I read several reviews of this film that said Dick McDonald was your “first dramatic role.” I’m not sure I agree with that. Did you see Dick as a big departure for you?

Nick Offerman: No, not at all. I guess I can see what they’re getting at — a lot of what I’ve done in the last decade has some kind of comic bent to it. Even in films where I’m playing a straight guy there are usually a few laughs to be had and this didn’t really have any moments like that. If there are any laughs, they come straight out of the dramatic tension in the scene. I was going for a square, hardworking version of a guy in the 1950s so it felt similar to most of the acting that I do!

Your chemistry with John Carroll Lynch was so great I totally bought you two as brothers. Had you worked with him before?

No, but I’ve looked up to him for many years and was over the moon to be cast as brothers with him. He comes from live theater as well and we just kind of hit it off. Doing interviews with him for this film has only impressed me more. He’s so intelligent — he’ll respond to questions he’s asked with references to Andrew Carnegie or give a 10-minute treatise on the movie Michael Clayton. I’ll be sitting next to him thinking, “Oh God, I feel dumb!”

Did you have to work with him for a while to get to that “brotherly” place?

I have a brother that I love very much and there was a time when we lived together as adults. Before I started getting acting work in L.A., I was really hoping he’s become as obsessed with woodworking as I am. I had this idea that we’d turn my woodworking shop into the Offerman Brothers and I thought that would be the most wonderful life. That never happened and there are certainly things about each other that bother us, but I’m just crazy about my brother, he’s one of the greatest guys I can think of, so it was very easy to transfer that sensibility to John Carroll Lynch who is also very easy to admire and such a generous actor.

These are obviously all real people. Did you do a lot of your own research on them or was it all on the page?

We were very spoiled in this film because the producers, Don Handfield and Jeremy Renner, had this material for almost 12 years as they were trying to get this film made. So much of what we would normally do they had already done so when we came on board. They gave us these big packets of research and pictures and Dictaphone recordings. There are a few things on YouTube of Dick McDonald that I watched, but that was all frosting because Robert Siegel had so masterfully laced everything that we needed into the script. The script told us exactly who we were in this brotherhood.

It’s interesting to think of how they were treated by Ray Kroc. I mean, he definitely shafted them but I couldn’t help thinking, well, maybe they were better off. And it’s not like they didn’t get a lot of money even if it wasn’t the billions that Kroc ultimately made.

It’s true. Dick and Mac were actually quite prosperous. It’s interesting because there’s been so much talk about the American Dream but these guys really did achieve that dream: they created a business that did so well that this guy bought it for $2.7 million. I haven’t done the math but that’s probably something like $15 to $20 million in today’s dollars.

That’s what I was thinking. And at least they didn’t have to sell their souls down the river in terms of what McDonald’s became.

Yeah, I think that’s an interesting point.

I keep hearing people comparing Ray Kroc to Donald Trump which makes me defensive for Kroc!

(Laughs.) It’s true. “How DARE you say such a thing about Ray Kroc!”

I mean, he obviously had a ruthless side but I just don’t think the comparisons hold up.

I agree with you. I think Ray Kroc was a much more intelligent and relatable human being whose ambition got the best of him whereas Trump is sort of an inscrutable jackass, possibly even demented. He’s absolutely incomprehensible to me which is what is terrifying about him — he hardly ever behaves rationally.

And even if you don’t like what Ray Kroc did, you can certainly understand what he was doing and hoping to achieve.

Absolutely. They were both master salesman. But that’s another thing about Trump that I find baffling. There’s nothing about him that explains how he was able to accomplish what he’s been able to pull off. I understand that he represented a message that caused a lot of people to vote for him, that’s where the salesman part comes in, he convinced people to vote for a bunch of smoke and mirrors. “I’m going to give you what you want,” and they were like, “Finally!” and then he was like, “I have no idea what they want. Fuck them!” Trump and Kroc were also amazing at creating a slogan or a vision that you could sell and then let people fill in the quality they were looking for, whether it’s the golden arches or slapping the name Trump on a building. We’ve come to learn, sadly, that Trump is a terrible businessman and doesn’t own most of the things that say Trump on them, he’s just a great salesman, so that all the people who are too lazy to do any homework are like, “What are you talking about? He’s got his name all over the place, he must be terrific in business!” And you’re like, “No, he’s actually completely full of shit.”

And certainly both Trump and Ray Kroc had issues with their own narcissism and grabbing credit for things.

Yes, that’s true. For some insecure reason, it was very important for Kroc to be credited with the whole thing, he was not good at treating his collaborators fairly in that regard. But when I watch the film and see him doing bad things, I can at least understand what human reactions made him do it. And also, it’s worth mentioning that he couldn’t have known at the time how filthy and plastic and poisonous the fast food industry would become. He was instrumental in replacing nutritious ingredients with garbage, but at the time he had this vision that was almost like science fiction.

The film really makes you think twice about what success is, what the American Dream is founded on.

To me it’s fascinating in terms of not only what’s going on in our country but also globally. The lesson of the film, to me, is should there be a limit on how much success any entity should achieve? Because at a certain points, what detriments does it start having on people, on our natural resources, on the quality of the product that they’re selling? My beloved favorite writer, Wendell Berry, tells this great story about his friend who’s this Amish farmer who sets himself a limit. He decided that he’d only farm as much land as his horses could accomplish working from sunrise to sunset, he would never work a beast after sundown. So whatever income he could glean within that limit, that’s what his family subsisted on. I love that analogy of finding your happiness and satisfaction within a limit that you set — rather than our weird consumerist American dream that says you should never be happy, you can always get more.

Yes! The so-called American Dream has turned into the opposite of what that Amish farmer is doing. It’s all about volume and bigness. That’s why I left the film thinking the McDonald brothers were better off.

I agree. To my way of thinking it represents the forces that are running our country. They’re establishing legislation for health and safety and the environment and agriculture that’s based solely on money with no integrity. There’s a terrifying book called Lethal but Legal by Nicholas Freudenberg that details all of the lobbying that’s taken place in Washington over the past 20 or 30 years in terms of fast food, alcohol guns, vehicles — it’s insane. All this money is being spent to make sure that companies can keep poisoning us or selling their products to the widest possible audience.