# livewired

est. 2025 / tolerated by angel.

[magrods]

GENUFLECT BEFORE THE KING OF THE RUNAWAYS ——

# MAGRODS . a private and selective reno sinclair of the turks from final fantasy vii. low activity. mun & muse are 21+. OCs / AUs / multiverse welcome. mostly canon compliant, w. headcanon influence. tolerated by angel. (24 / they/them / UK timezone.)

A STUDY IN : the taming of a gutterpunk, self-flagellation, becoming a corporate bitch, a rabbit masquerading as a fox, prioritizing survival over all, a pack of lies, static shock, a job that slowly kills you.

[magrods]

this blog turned a year old yesterday – they grow up so fast!

[rocketbirdie]

priorities

[bratcasket]

never drink with me i’ll ask you to hit me as hard as you can

[tunisian]

“rejection is gods redirection” the rejections are redirecting me towards substance abuse

[magrods]

@heartinhands — “do you want me to stay? it doesn't have to mean anything.” / MORBID CURIOSITY. ( from cloud. )

there's a gentleness in his voice, and it feels like a kick in the fucking teeth. reno's face contorts, twists into something resembling a grimace. he wants to spit and curse, connect his fist with strife's face like he would have done a couple years ago, no hesitation — but his heart isn't in it. too much has changed. the pair have gone the way of all other things: long past the point of recognition.

he doesn't let cloud see his face. reno might not have much left, but he still has his damn pride. the last thing he wants is for the merc ( ex - merc ? ) to know he's got him flustered. humiliating. instead, he slumps down in his seat, face pressed against the cool wooden surface of the table.

"and what would a guy like you want with me?" he's quiet, muffled even though they're the only people left in the bar. everyone else cleared out a while ago — maybe reno's presence scared them all away. even now, with shinra gone, defanged; a turk still serves to make everyone nervous. bad for business. even tifa has scurried off somewhere, tossing cloud the keys to lock up and a pointed look for good measure. "don'tcha have a reputation to uphold, mister 'planet's hero'? can't be goin' around fraternising with the enemy."

not your enemy anymore, reno's brain helpfully fills in. but where the hell does that leave them? oh, this is cloud, the guy that handed my ass to me a million times over. what a joke. reno's beginning to think he'll never wrap his head around this new world of theirs. shit, he still hasn't actually answered cloud's question. does reno want him to stay? it's a stupid idea — probably the stupidest either of the two has had in a long time. but reno would be lying if he said there wasn't a part of him that was desperate to say yes. it gets lonely when the world turns against you. it's not exactly something he can talk about with the other turks: vulnerability isn't part of the job description, and old habits die hard. maybe strife could understand that. reno figures he might be just as repressed and emotionally constipated as he is. maybe they both need this — a judgement free zone. it doesn't have to mean anything, after all. besides, cloud's not exactly hard on the eyes, as much as it pains reno to admit.

reno is suddenly so grateful for alcohol. he hasn't drank enough to impair him, but it's the perfect amount to make him bold — bolder than usual, that is. lifting his head to meet cloud's gaze (jeez, this guy has a staring problem), reno grins awkwardly. it's like his body is betraying him, forgetting how to be casual. no matter how he twists himself to sit, it feels forced, poised. his face is hot, his tongue suddenly heavy in his mouth. in this moment, reno decides he hates cloud strife even more than he did when the bastard had him flat on his back, choking on his own blood. but he's never been a quitter, and he's not about to start now.

"i'm not gonna make you leave." reno picks his words carefully, willing himself to not sound eager (or desperate). "it's a free planet." thanks to you. "besides, this is your place, right? you can kick me out whenever you feel like it — i'm at your mercy."

"doesn't have to mean anything, right?" he watches cloud closely while he talks — hypervigilant. force of habit. but there's no real sign of hostility. the ex-SOLDIER (not really!) is unarmed, and seemingly only mildly annoyed, which is probably the most that reno can ask for. "i could use the company. had a rough day, might be nice to blow off some steam." he gestures for cloud to sit down, to join him. "c'mon, i don't bite. unless you're into that." reno winks, laughing.

[magrods]

@openness — “ you're not going anywhere i don't want you to. ” / ARKHAM. ( from rufus. )

reno is good at his job. good enough that his superiors are willing to overlook all of his . . . transgressions, so to speak. there's a file out there gathering dust in shinra hq, an inch thick and filled entirely with complaints against reno's character. his blatant disregard for dress code, his foul mouth, the total lack of respect for authority — all of that waved away. reno is quick, efficient. he gets results, and most importantly, he does what he's told.

that's not to say that he doesn't push buttons. but it's easier when the orders come from tseng. the two turks are on (nearly) equal footing, only one rank between them — a meaningless title. "director of the turks" means nothing when you're only parroting orders from above. tseng is nothing but a mouthpiece, a puppet. the puppeteer in question sits before him now, demanding and expectant. a petulant brat given too much power, refusing to share his toys.

"with all due respect," reno proceeds with uncharacteristic caution. he has known rufus shinra for the better part of a decade, and still hasn't worked out where to draw the line. tseng seems to have it down to an art — the pair communicate almost telepathically, through glances and key words and body language. reno can't wrap his head around it. try as he might, rufus remains impossible to read. maybe they're just too different. he's about the same age as reno, but they've lived wildly different lives. polar opposites. "technically, i work for your dad. don't think he'd be too happy about me refusing orders just 'cuz you said no."

it's a moot point. the president doesn't give a shit what the turks do, and they both know it. this is just a formality, a last ditch effort to squirm his way out of an uncomfortable situation. rufus' gaze is starting to make reno sweat. he looks at the walls, at the floor, at the mutt sleeping by his boss' feet, anywhere to avoid those cold blue eyes. is that disrespectful, he wonders silently. or would it be worse if i met his gaze? he's never cared for authority, but this is different. as far as his boss is concerned, reno's life is his property, to use as he sees fit. a bargaining chip, a confidant, a pet, a spy — whatever takes his fancy in the moment. maybe he should bow at rufus' feet — drop to his knees and swear fealty, kiss the ring like a fuckin' mafioso. spoiled little prick would probably like that.

there's no point in arguing. reno's back is up against the metaphorical wall. he's had rufus' gun aimed at his head before, and he'd rather not go through that again, if he can avoid it. besides, maybe this level of control is a good thing. god knows reno hasn't made good choices. might as well let someone else take the reigns — at least that way, when it all goes to shit, reno doesn't have to take responsibility.

"but i mean . . . hell, most of my orders come from you anyway, right?" reno wears an awkward grin, nervous energy streaming out of him. thank fuck none of the other turks are here to witness him like this, twitchy and tripping over himself. he has a reputation to uphold, after all. "it's not like i'm gonna go rogue, or defect, or whatever. even if i did, you guys probably have trackers on us, or some shit." he snorts, but it's really not funny. he tries not to think about it too hard. "besides, you kind of own my ass. so i guess i'm at your service." fucking hell. what a thing to say. reno cringes internally. "...sir." he adds, as an afterthought. one of these days he's gonna learn when to shut up.

[magrods]

CANON QUESTIONNAIRE. —- @devilletting.

#1 — what made you pick up this character? i don't have any kind of intellectual or thoughtful answer for this LMAO. as soon as i started playing ff7 and laid eyes on reno i was like okay. i love this guy. and i kind of never got over that! i was inspired to try writing him by a few fics that i had read, where they had some interesting takes on his mentality and what it means to be turk, what is expected of them, what their lives look like post - game. and i'd been missing writing a lot, missing roleplay even more — so i got on here and dragged reno with me.

#12 — what would you say is the most unique trait about your character? the thing that fascinates me most about him is just how ridiculous everything about his character is. by all rights, reno is supposed to blend in. the turks should be able to go incognito, they're essentially shinra's answer to spies - and yet reno has bright red dyed hair, face tattoos, and walks around with his tits out. and nobody cares. they just let him do that. he's loud and reckless and stubborn and inflammatory and genuinely quite stupid. but he's still fucking good at his job. he somehow managed to become second in command. he commits himself 100% to everything he does, even if he doesn't necessarily agree with the orders he's been given. reno will fight for shinra until they have to physically drag him off the battlefield.

#16 — what is your personal bias ship for your canon character? i'm really not picky about shipping when it comes to reno. i've always been very drawn to cl.oud and reno, as some kind of weird enemies to ???? dynamic. idk what they are. certainly not lovers. just two guys who don't know what to do with their lives anymore. i'm partial to reno / r.ude, reno / ruf.us, reno / tsen.g ... any of the turks really. i just love the turks. i want to study them in a lab. i want to smash them into each other like im playing dolls. interpersonal relationships within shinra are just such an interesting thing to explore. because it isn't like they can have relationships outside of work.

[melamemea]

canon questionare.

questions best asked for those who portray canon characters, and for those who’d like to get to know the author behind said canons better.

What made you pick up this character?

How did you get into this franchise/fandom?

What’s the best thing about the show/series/books/comics/etc.?

What’s the worst thing about the show/series/books/comics/etc.?

What’s the best thing about the fandom?

What’s the worst thing about the fandom?

What’s the best thing about the canon you are writing?

What’s the worst thing about the canon you are writing?

Have you tweaked the character from canon? If so, what did you tweak?

Would you say that your portrayal is canon divergent or not? 

Are there some things you dislike about how the show/series/etc. portray the character you have picked up? If so, what?

What would you say is the most unique trait about your character?

Are there any other characters from the franchise you’d like to play?

Are there some characters from the franchise you can’t stand? 

What are your thoughts on the canon ships for the character, if any?

What is your personal ship bias for your canon character?

Are there any ships you can’t stand, why?

How long have you been writing the character?

Should people get into the franchise your writing from, yes or no?

If you could sum up your character with one sentence, what would it be?

Which song do you feel describes your character the most and why?

[magrods]

@devilletting — " speak up! don't be shy. " / GRAVEYARD SHIFT.

reno laughs like a hyena, animal and predatory. he throws back his head and howls. the turks are meant to be shinra's stealth force, silent yet deadly. the uniform is supposed to do the talking for him. clearly, reno has never cared about that. he doesn't have an off - switch. his bark is just as bad as his bite - and just as loud as his hair.

"y'know, i think i like you." he has one foot inside matt's office, leaning against the door - frame. reno is chatty, casual — but they both know shinra doesn't let the turks out when they want to play nice. his very presence is a threat. or at least, it should be. any average civilian would be shitting their pants right about now. "you're funny."

the lawyer's sarcasm strikes a chord with him. back up on the plate, everybody's so serious all the time. all business, and tactics, and 'reno can you act like a damn professional for once in your career' — tch. they can say what they want, but he gets results. and when he's let off - leash, allowed to patrol the slums; people tend to give him a wide berth. he isn't used to civilians being snarky — he thinks he likes it. but matthew murdock has been identified as a possible enemy to shinra, so it doesn't matter how much reno likes him. he still has a job to do.

"big boss doesn't exactly share the sentiment, though." intimidation jobs aren't reno's favourite, especially when the mark seems as totally unfazed as this man does. fuck this. rude would have been a better choice, or tseng. reno never got the hang of the cold, steely gaze that seems to come so naturally to his colleagues. but still, he does what he's told. "wants me to pass on a message to ya : back off."

"just warning you, man. shinra's not an enemy you wanna have. trust me." there was no way the persuasion tactics would work. lawyers argue for a living. talking him round is probably a hopeless endeavour - reno's out of his depth. "you don't want me as your enemy, either." he throws in, just for good measure. can't hurt.

reno lets his eyes wander around the room, taking in his surroundings. it's such a departure from the cold, sterile shinra architecture he's become accustomed to. being under the plate always feels like coming home. reno hates it. he fidgets, absent - mindedly bouncing his EMR off of his leg, full of nervous energy. "nice place you got. you get a lotta business?" he sniffs. change of tactic. "can't imagine many people down here have got lawyer money." shiva knows reno didn't, when he lived in the slums.

[reksigh]

mwahaha

[ohisms]

✱ ˚｡⋆ ↪ MORBID CURIOSITY ... [ REMASTERED ] ( a collection of various original dialogue prompts centered around asking questions. adjust phrasing / gendered terms as necessary. )

give that to me! where did you find this?!

do you drink coffee or tea?

sorry– am i crazy, or have we met before?

do you trust me enough to close your eyes?

when were you planning on telling me?

at the risk of being a cliché, do you want to get out of here?

can i convince you to stay the night?

do i look like someone who knows what that means?

would you consider giving me a second chance?

do you really think that's helpful right now?

would you mind showing me around?

do you ever plan on forgiving yourself?

are you thinking what i'm thinking?

can we ... go out and do something crazy?

why are we whispering?

who exactly are you, anyways?

can't we just be civil for a minute?

does the past ever keep you up at night?

if you have nothing to hide, what's the problem?

how long has it been since i saw you last, [ name ]?

did the power just go out?

are we still doing the thing where we pretend not to care?

how should we celebrate?

can we just ... start over?

why is this so important to you?

how was i supposed to know that?!

do you want me to stay? it doesn't have to mean anything.

where are you? nobody's heard from you.

can you help me zip this up?

why do these things always happen to me?

you don't secretly hate me, right?

can i get you something to eat? –or drink?

ready to see what i've been working on?

where have you been disappearing off to?

what's that perfume you're wearing?

you're laughing?! do you really think this is funny?

are you planning to stay for dinner?

did you think it was going to be easy?

you see where you went wrong, don't you?

when did we become so cold and distant?

who are you working for?

did you really do all of this for me?

can i open my eyes yet?

haven't you heard the stories?

[ name ], what are you doing here?

what's it gonna take for you to trust me?

do you believe people can change?

how about we catch the ten o'clock showing?

don't you remember what happened last time?

why is it so unbelievable that i'd want to help you?

you're [ name ], aren't you?

who did this to you?!

how did you know i'd be here?

what's that supposed to mean?

do you think i'm irredeemable?

what kind of mess have you gotten us into?!

do you see anything you like?

what do i owe you for the food?

why won't this stupid thing work?!

does tonight really have to end?

holy shit. can you believe we really pulled that off?!

i can tell you're upset, [ name ]. what happened?

how long have you been standing there?

do you ever wish you could just ... run away?

haven't we been here before?

wait, shush ... did you hear that?

did i miss today's newsletter or something?

can we put our differences aside for a second?

what are you getting out of this, exactly?

you'd tell me if something was wrong, right?

are you willing to bet on it?

would you kill for me?

what made you think that was okay?!

do you believe people can change?

what's the worst thing you've ever done?

you were going to leave without saying goodbye?

[ name ], can you sit up for me?

can i kiss you?

where are your keys? you're not driving like this.

how's life been treating you?

where have you been?!

aren't we supposed to be alone tonight?

aw, has someone had a little too much to drink?

where are you going with this?

are we really doing this right now?

have you eaten today?

can i crash here for the night?

how did you learn to lie so well?

can i at least buy you a drink?

where should i meet you?

is that  ...  blood?!

are you trying to make me jealous right now?

what’s your problem? you're acting weird.

[ name ], you're ... real, right?

where’s your sense of adventure?

do you like horror movies?

what are you trying to prove?

can you give me a ride?

do you have any idea what you've done?

shouldn't you answer that?

why should i be the one to calm down?

have you been up all night?

why are you lying to me?

is that my [ jacket / hoodie / shirt ]?

what are you so afraid of?

do you want to grow old with me?

you’re gonna walk away from this?

are you nervous? your hands are shaking.

where am i supposed to go?

how many fingers am i holding up?

you want me to just walk away from this?

[ name ], slow down– what's wrong?!

are you embarrassed of me?

what's that smell? something's burning.

how can i make it up to you?

why can't you stay out of it?

is this some kind of trick?

come on, what do you have to lose?

do you ever still think of me?

idiot. why didn't you tell me?!

can we stop and think about this rationally?

how long has it been since you’ve slept?

what's your ideal first date?

are you ready to tell me the truth?

i almost died, and you're laughing?

what do you mean, "sort of"?

can we just stay like this forever?

when can i see you again?

can we put this behind us?

oh ... you thought of me first?

where did you learn to do that?

oh my god,  are you bleeding?!

where are you?  nobody’s heard from you.

[ name ], are you drunk?

how can i make this go away?

someone's jumpy today. are you feeling okay?

are we safe here?

what can i do to convince you?

what could possibly go wrong?

you have no idea who i am, do you?

how do you really feel about me?

why can't you look me in the eyes?

did you know you talk in your sleep?

were you following me?

can we just pretend this never happened?

are you just barely getting home?

are you even listening to me right now?!

where does it hurt?  can you show me?

are you trying to get yourself killed?!

how about we just forget the world exists?

how long have you been keeping this from me?

were you ever going to tell me?

what do you make of this?

[ name ],  what the hell?!

can we just be honest with each other, here?

are you trying to keep me a secret?

why does your story keep changing?

how long have you known?

it can't be that bad, right?

are you happy? i mean, really happy?

isn't this place amazing?

did i interrupt something?

how am i supposed to trust you?

are they still following us?

are you fucking serious?

do you remember our first kiss?

can we take a break for a minute?

how about we disappear for awhile?

you're going to walk away from this?

can you please just cut the crap?!

why didn't you tell me you were hurt?

how can i make this go away?

can you just look at me, please?

is there anything i can do to change your mind?

do you ever stop talking?

that depends. are you done lying to me?

are you sure this is legal?

how do you take your coffee?

can you keep your voice down?

why does your phone keep buzzing?

[mcflymemes]

PROMPTS FROM BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM *  assorted dialogue from the video game, some reworked to suit a meme format, adjust as necessary

you'll be laughing out of your butt when i get out of here.

that reminds me. i really need to get me some new shoes.

need to take my temperature? i'd be happy to drop my pants.

i'm fine. i eat punks like these for breakfast.

let me go, you crazy bitch.

i'm got some real surprises in store for you.

welcome to the madhouse!

i set a trap, and you sprang it gloriously! now let's get this party started.

remember guys, he may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot, but don't let that fool you, he really is an idiot.

tell me, [name]. what are you really scared of? failing to save this cesspool of a city? not finding them in time? me, in a thong?

come on, this way. take a seat in my office.

money won't fix that.

i'm sorry about that. i just need to ask you some questions. can i get you anything? you okay?

i know you don't feel like answering me, but it's the only way to catch who did this.

you had to spoil everything!

how are you doing this?

what are you?

you will pay, [name].

my father hated me. he always called me a moron.

i want everyone to know that i really appreciate all the hard work.

you know, watching you guys is like a night in, watching my favorite movie.

i'm getting bored.

you can't beat me this time.

i'll never let you win.

this time i break you!

is he dead?

when did he die?

can you smell the excitement in the air?

get ready. keep your weapons trained on it at all times.

man, that thing looks pissed.

i've got your scent. i will hunt you down.

[name] disappointed me and now she's out of the picture. gone. forgotten.

we've got another problem.

i can't believe you insisted on sitting through that movie again.

he's crazy, you know.

you're not going anywhere i don't want you to.

blah blah blah. always with the hero speak.

i'm getting bored of watching you.

why don't you just come find me?

he's just one man! one man dressed like a lunatic and armed to the teeth.

you took longer than i expected.

i'm not sure i can stop him this time.

am i getting to you? am i? good.

yeah, i hear you, bitch. so when's dinner? i'm hungry.

come on, someone must have seen where he went.

progress has been slow.

i don't like having my time wasted. someone doesn't pay, they need a lesson. they owed me.

if your name's not on the list, you ain't going in.

are they ready? have you planted the explosives yet?

go easy on him, will you? for me?

note to self: need more henchmen.

i won't stop until you're dead.

what? you're nearly done?

you seem distressed.

shame about your car. can i give you a ride?

get some rest. you deserve it.

tell me something. you've never let me capture you this easily.

what are you really planning?

that's horrible. how can you joke about that?

i'm coming for you. i want what i paid for.

hey, [name]. love what you've done with the place.

you are beginning to impress me.

having a little trouble up there?

can you hear me, [name]?

that guy freaks me out.

stop! please! i'm not important! i can't help you!

is your mind playing tricks on you... or am i?

why fight it? you're as crazy as the rest of us.

listen, no more tricks.

i will fold you like paper.

i will find you.

[crimson-sun]

A couple of selfies from the Shinra photo book today!

Ways to get copies of the book will be posted closer to release date. In the meantime, please consider joining us on Patreon where there are more WIPs and insights, and all the finished 'photos' are available as prints on the higher tier.

[magrods]

@givres — " how do you live with yourself ? " / CONFLICT, accepting. ( from cloud. )

expecting honesty from a turk is like coaxing blood from a stone, and reno got into the business of lying long before shinra dug its claws into his neck. he came to them already well - trained — you can expect just as much truth from a teenage addict as you can from a spy. but lies upon lies pile up and tangle in his mind, fact and fiction blur. the real reno long dead, buried beneath the mask, real feelings cast aside. because of this, cloud's question throws him for a loop. he has to think about it : how does he live with himself?

placed in this exact scenario just a few years earlier, reno wouldn't even have paused for breath. a snarky comment, the faint hum of electricity in the air, no hesitation before turning back to violence. especially here, especially from him. maybe reno's pride fell along with midgar, perhaps loss has softened both of their spikes. or maybe reno's just older, wiser — he's learned not to a start a fight he can't finish. they've fallen into some kind of uneasy truce, dancing around each other, occasionally pressing their fingers in right where it hurts.

"s'not like i've really got much choice." reno sparks a cigarette as he talks, the glow illuminating his hair like flames. "what's done is done, strife. can't go back and undo any of it. some of it, the real nasty shit, i just . . . " he waves a hand vaguely, gesturing off into the ether. "just try not to think about it."

he watches cloud closely, studying — old habits die hard. the merc was no fool, but he wasn't exactly intuitive either. could he spot the lie? probably. reno was inclined to believe that cloud never bought a single word that came out of his damn mouth. clever boy. you can only trust a turk as far as you can throw them.

in truth, reno had been trying to answer that question himself. with shinra reduced to a shell of its former self, the little power - trip that came with his job had withered and died. now there was nothing left to mask the guilt, and nowhere to run. in his idle state, his conscience began to itch. there was blood on his hands, in his hair, under his nails; no amount of scrubbing could ever wipe him clean. he'd taken more lives than he could count, taken people apart and put them back together in the name of seeking intel. fifteen years on the job, and in all that time, he'd only ever questioned one order — there was something wrong with him. how the fuck can you just live with that?

running away would be the right thing to do. reno has known that for a long time. and he's starting to believe it would work, that tseng and rufus would let him off - leash, watch him disappear into the wilderness, never to return. but without his job, reno would be lost. he'd end up right back where they'd found him — face - down in the gutter, with a needle in his arm. it isn't an option. so, reno stays put, lets the screams of his victims swirl around his brain. at night, he dreams of punishment — a fist colliding with his nose, the sick crunch of his bones shattering. he imagines himself bleeding, white - hot with pain, too weak to stand. woozy, disoriented; as close as he can let himself get to getting high.

his eyes flicker across strife's form, strong arms and a stupidly big sword strapped to his back, and for a second his mind goes hazy. that'd do the trick, he thinks. that'd make me feel it. reno's been on the receiving end enough times already. it's not a feeling you forget in a hurry. but cloud hates him too much, reno supposes. he'd never do him a favour like that.

"the thing about being a turk," reno puffs on his cigarette, wisps of smoke circling around them both. "is that there's no get outta jail free card. you do what you're told, or you get a bullet between the eyes." he laughs even though it isn't funny. "i did what i had to do. that's what i tell myself."

"'course, you're more than welcome to try and make me pay for it." he grins, making enough eye contact that he knows it'll make cloud squirm. "if you're worried about me atoning, or whatever the fuck." phrase it like a joke so he can't see you lying belly - up, exposed. reno dangles the cigarette in front of cloud's face. "wanna smoke?"

[feeling-likeastranger]

You ever feel grief for the person you could’ve been if none of this ever happened to you?

[nefariouscinephile]