Fic: Five Times Rahm Emanuel Didn't Resign (And One Time He Did)

[alicebluegown16]

Title: Five Times Rahm Emanuel Didn't Resign (And One Time He Did)
Author: alicebluegown16
Rating: PG-13
Character/Pairing: Rahm Emanuel, Barack Obama, Rahm/Barack if you squint
Summary: The average tenure of the White House Chief of Staff is two years.
AN: Dear God, if you only knew how long I've been working on this fic. The boys just would not

Comments

[two_if_by_sea]

1. when Barack pretends not to notice, Rahm might just possibly, maybe, ever so slightly love him.

THIS IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT. The two sort of strange father figures in his section, of the actual dad and Barack as the soon to be head of the American family, but also the boss, and the way Rahm doesn't cave but has to in the end, and somehow through it all, realizing that he might love Barack, just a little bit, it's so fabulous.

2. I love this one ALMOST THE BEST because of the language. You’re getting that deer in the headlights, now seems like an awesome time to fall on my sword look. ready, willing, and able to gut him with a teaspoon. Do Not Touch Under Pain of Pain. ‘eventually’ is five eternities in the twenty-four hour news cycle. I’d suggest investing in a helmet.

RAHM THE DRAMA QUEEN. The way Barack deals with crises in your story is the most beautiful part of him, that he can pre-empt Rahm's superdramatic I HAVE TO QUIT~~!11!!@!@@!!!1111 moment with just a slap on the head, and you've written the most bad-ass Barack ever, the one that is actually a leader and has no qualms about doing what he needs to do to get the best. Also Blago, man, what a piece of shit. :>

3. gosh, I just knew this one was going to be a scenario. The inevitable moment where Rahm oversteps his boundaries, and Barack shuts him out, and it's-- augh--

4. But you seamlessly make it part of number 4, and:

Whenever he has to have some sort of interaction with Dean, the President always makes a point of scheduling a meeting with someone from the House Republican leadership immediately afterwards.

He makes Cantor cry.

Twice.

I couldn't help but celebrate at this, and the way Amy is like OH HAHA, YOUR BROMANCE, but really, the ending, the ending, the ending is the best part, you've made it humorous but also real and wrap it up with that other issue the First Family has to deal with that is just so pointless. TRUST GOLDENDOODLES TO BRING THEM TOGETHER. Especially Barack's dry interpretation of what Rahm needs as validation, and singing, and Rahm telling him to fuck~ off~~ BEST SECTION EVER.

5. This made me shed a tear for Rahm. You've written such a beautiful story of growing up even though, you know, he's a papa and he's old enough to be an adult!! but sometimes you just need that extra reminder and he has matured, you've written maturation beautiful, and that's so difficult--

ALSO I CANNOT TALK ABOUT 6. THE HUGGING. I NEVER REGRETTED HIRING YOU. HOW YOU SNEAKED IN THE TIME AT THE END, JUST A LITTLE FINAL TWIST, AND OF COURSE RAHM EMANULE WOULD LAST SIX YEARS, OF COURSE.

♥♥♥

[azurelunatic]

WHAT YOU SAID

[nenya_kanadka]

What you said. Especially this:

The way Barack deals with crises in your story is the most beautiful part of him

And, and part three, oh God OWWW. :'( BUT THEN IT WAS OKAY IN THE END. But ow.

[alicebluegown16]

Awww. You wrote little mini reviews for each part! You rock!

1) I totally never saw the parallels of Barack being a second father figure for Rahm in that scene. You are smarter than me. Congrats. As to Rahm just possibly maybe loving Barack, I have a whole theory that Rahm is totally incapable of simply going through the motions and has to just possibly a little bit love anyone he works for, because when you get right down to it, the little bastard just cares too damn much. See: Clinton, William Jefferson. Emanuel’s continued loyalty to.

2) I am totes a whore for a good turn of phrase. The continued enabling of such behavior will only lead me to continue as such. And yeah, Barack as the occasional smack to the back of the head, voice of reason, bad ass? Such a kink for me. I just have to believe it’s true to character. I mean, Rahm may be the attack dog, but Barry’s the one holding the leash. How gangster do you have to be for that job?

3) The inevitability of Rahm eventually fucking up and almost destroying himself is what made this part. I loved writing it in all it’s hurty goodness. And of course Howard Dean would be the catalyst to such a thing! Isn’t that the job of a nemesis? Oh, and if Barack telling Rahm ‘STFU and deal, Howard’s in’ could become canon, I’d be much obliged.

4) True fax. Every day should be Make Eric Cantor Cry Like a Little Bitch Day. Oh, Barack. “Sorry, I hurt your feeling, bb. Here, have some Republicans to yell at to make it all better.” He knows his man---and his man’s constant need for assurance that Barry loves him best, so well.
I have to laugh at the fact that this part was the fave, since I totally threw it together at the last moment. My creative process was basically, ‘fuck, can’t leave them hating each other, how to fix, ohmygahd, PUPPIES! PUPPIES FIX ALL!’

5) Yay! I wrote mature self-sacrificing Rahm, that still feels like Rahm! Breathes sigh of relief.

6) When I started writing this, it was always with the full intention of the first and last scenes to serve as bookmarks for each other. (Yes, that means I always intended from the very beginning to kill of Rahm’s daddy. I am a terrible person.) I’m super duper thrilled it all worked and that the big time reveal didn’t come off as monumentally cheesy or melodramatic.