#Experts Dynamics

[jrsdynamics]

Overcoming the Challenges of Complex ERP Implementations

When it comes to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, businesses recognize the immense potential for optimizing processes, improving efficiency, and gaining a competitive edge. However, complex ERP implementation continues to be a significant challenge. In a recent LinkedIn poll, the majority of businesses identified “Complex Implementation” as their biggest obstacle with ERP systems.

Why is ERP Implementation So Complex?

The complexities of ERP systems stem from their very nature—integrating multiple business functions such as finance, HR, supply chain, and customer relationship management (CRM) into a unified system. Here are some reasons why ERP implementation can be particularly challenging:

Customization Requirements: No two businesses operate exactly alike. This means that the out-of-the-box ERP solution often requires a high degree of customization to meet specific business processes. Tailoring the system involves detailed planning, design, and ongoing adjustments.

Data Migration: Transitioning legacy data from existing systems into a new ERP platform is a complex task. Businesses must ensure that data integrity, accuracy, and security are maintained during this process. It requires careful validation and cleansing to avoid operational issues post-implementation.

Change Management: Implementing an ERP system not only affects the IT department, but touches every part of the business. Employee resistance to change can slow down implementation. Proper training, communication, and support are essential to ensure smooth adoption.

Integration with Other Systems: Often, businesses rely on multiple third-party systems for specialized functions. ERP systems need to seamlessly integrate with these, ensuring data flows efficiently between them. Any glitches in integration can lead to operational delays and added complexity.

Time and Budget Overruns: The complexity of ERP implementations often leads to unexpected delays and cost escalations. Without proper planning, scope creep can derail projects, leaving businesses with systems that take longer to deploy than expected.

How JRS Dynamics Simplifies ERP Implementations

At JRS Dynamics Info Solutions, we’ve helped businesses navigate the complexities of ERP implementation by offering a comprehensive, customized approach. Our experts ensure smooth, timely ERP deployments by:

Deep Business Analysis: We begin by thoroughly understanding your unique business processes, identifying potential challenges, and designing solutions that fit your specific needs.

Seamless Data Migration: Our team uses advanced tools and strategies to securely transfer your data from existing systems into your new ERP environment with minimal disruption.

Dedicated Change Management: We support your teams with extensive training and provide ongoing consultation to ensure that employees are comfortable using the new system.

Efficient Integration: We ensure seamless integration with your other business tools and systems, enabling efficient communication between them without any data loss or delays.

On-Time, Within Budget: Our project management expertise ensures that ERP implementation remains on track, adhering to timelines and budgets, avoiding common pitfalls like scope creep.

Conclusion:

Implementing an ERP system can be complex, but with the right strategy, tools, and partner, businesses can overcome the challenges and reap the benefits. At JRS Dynamics, we pride ourselves on simplifying the ERP journey for our clients, ensuring a smooth and successful implementation.

If you’re considering an ERP system for your business and are worried about the complexities involved, reach out to us for a free consultation. Let’s work together to simplify your ERP transformation.

[giotanner]

Sergeant John "Soap" Mactavish and Sergeant Kyle "Gaz" Garrick - demolition expert bros!

Support the video on my tiktok

Print/sticker

(Every reblog helps me a lot! I am pretty new in the fandom)

[kesbeacon]

Read a review of an apparently mediocre transmasc reimagining of Pride and Prejudice that made the fair point of 'if there were no social penalties, why wouldn't Mrs Bennet be delighted to suddenly have a son, since he can now inherit and all is saved?'

And then I started thinking. So here's how I'd do it. The Bennets, with their surfeit of daughters, did in fact think through 'it'd be great if one of these girls... wasn't.' It's just that instead of this happening when the girls are grown by the choice of one of the kids, they made their decision with four daughters down that the next child would be a boy by hook or by crook.

Hence: Lawrence Bennet, the youngest.

The problem is that Lawrence Bennet is, well, Lydia. He's just as susceptible to Wickham's charms, and Wickham leading him into irresponsible ways is a danger to the inheritance he was chosen to protect, and Wickham could find out The Secret easily if they get too close. Lawrence also getting gender dysphoria, because he would probably have been happier as Lydia. The other problem is 'his' oldest siblings understand the situation, and - since we're sticking to the premise of 'this is P&P with a transmasc Lizzy' - one of them is seething with jealousy that she wasn't picked, and knows she would have been better at the job of 'only son' than 'Lawrence.'

Haven't got much further than that because it's very hard to keep the plot on the rails once you've introduced such a momentous, confounding secret and induced the elder Bennets to think their problem is solved, but there you go. Have this free bit of thinking.

[artificialflav]

I really love last line c!slime says to c!quackity.

“Thank you for teaching me what it’s like to be human.”

What a poetic line. Slime never saw the monster quackity wished he could be. Instead he is a broken and flawed man, who made a lot of bad decisions. But none of that took away his humanity. A complicated mess, but so intrinsically human.

[megumiluvv]

Trouble

A Five Part Sukuna Series

Part One: Some Dumb Project

Masterlist

Part Two (will update when posted!!)

Synopsis: You switched majors and meet this annoying guy in your new history class, now you have to work on a project with him. Not only that, he goes to the place you work at! Ugh, how annoying, hopefully he won’t cause any trouble…

〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎ ♛ 〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎

Sukuna is nothing but trouble. Everyone knows that. All your life, you’ve attracted nothing but trouble. Whether it’s a traffic jam, your coffee being too cold or spilling all over you, or somehow locking yourself out of your apartment, you just can’t help but find trouble.

Like right now.

You’re late. To your first class of your new major. It’s not like you slept in late or anything, your door jammed, meaning you had to bust yourself out of your own apartment. Talk about annoying! Luckily, the professor hasn’t entered class, so when you walk into the lecture hall, you get up to a row with good acoustics and sit next to a boy with pink hair. He smiles at you and taps your shoulder.

“Hey! I’m Yuji Itadori! Are you new? I haven’t seen you here before, and most of these people are familiar faces.”

“Yeah, I switched majors over break. Nice to meet you, Itadori.”

“Hey, who’s the person in my seat, brat?”

You think you have double vision when you see Itadori twice, but this second one has tattoos on his face.

“Um, there aren’t assigned seats.”

“You’re one of those people, aren’t you?” He huffs with his gruff voice, a frown permanently etched into his face. He’s like a polar opposite of Yuji.

“Sukuna, just sit on the other side of me, it’s not that big a deal.” Yuji rolls his eyes.

“Maybe not to you, idiot.”

“Um, who are you?” You tilt your head.

“I’m this brat’s twin brother, isn’t that obvious? Now get out of my spot.”

“Still not your spot.”

“I will carve my name into the desk. Then will you move?”

“Isn’t that vandalism?”

“Even better.”

You scoff into a small laugh and look at Yuji with a “can you believe this guy?” look. You still refuse to switch seats as the professor enters.

“Alright, take your seats, class has started.” He says in a bored tone.

Sukuna scoffs at you and sits on the other side of Yuji, glaring at you the entire time. He can already tell you’re going to annoy him. Especially with your stupid attitude, your dumb clothes that fit you so well, your stupid good looks, your annoyingly attractive body… He needs to not stare. He shakes the thought away as the professor talks about some dumb project he could care less about.

“You all are going to be assigned a group of three people, so just look at the person next to you and on the other side, that’s basically your group, just for simplicity.” The professor looks up and starts writing groups down. “Mkay, so the Itadoris anddd… got it.”

Sukuna almost audibly groans with his eye roll, now he’s stuck with you? What a pain… The end of class couldn’t come sooner. He glares at you as he leaves, grabbing his pack of cigarettes and smoking in the bathrooms. You look at Yuji in confusion.

“That’s your twin brother?”

“Yeah, I think he was dropped.”

You laugh at him and shake your head, he’s definitely funnier than his moody counterpart. You head to your next class after exchanging numbers. The rest of the school day goes on like normal. Luckily, you don’t have any other classes with Yuji’s brother, but you do share a math class with Yuji, which is fun. You leave to work, a cafe run by a tired old man, but he’s a nice guy. You get there early somehow, changing into your work clothes and heading to the front to take orders.

You didn’t think the day would be worse, but who else enters the cafe but that annoying tattooed guy? Oh, and Yuji, but he’s not the issue here. There’s a third guy too, he doesn’t look much like them.

“Hey, customers are here, stop staring and take their orders, please.” Nanami tells you.

“Right, sorry.” You mumble and take their orders, Sukuna purposely picking something difficult. Yuji smiles at you and sits at their normal spot.

“This history project makes no sense, we haven’t even been taught this thing and he’s assigning us a project! Can you believe this, Choso?” Yuji groans and sips his drink when you set it in front of him.

“It’s like a research project, and we need to sort out who's doing what.” You say and hand who Yuji called “Choso” his black coffee. You set down the difficult order Sukuna made and he examines it.

“Hmm…”

“What are you doing?”

“Making sure it was made correctly.”

“I didn’t poison it, dude, it has everything you asked for.”

“Hmmmmm…” Your eye twitches.

“You’re not getting a refund, Sukuna, she made it exactly like you asked, you’re such a pain in the ass.” Yuji rolls his eyes and looks at you. “Just ignore him. We need to plan the project anyways. Sukuna isn’t going to do anything, I already know that.”

Sukuna, who doesn’t deny it, opens a bunch of straws, rips small parts of the wrapping paper, balls them up, and throws them across the table. One hits Yuji, one lands onto the floor, one lands in Choso’s coffee, and one hits you while another lands in your hair. Choso glares at his younger brother and rolls his eyes, moving the ball out of his coffee before taking a sip.

“Every day, I wonder how I am even related to you.” Choso mumbles.

“Oh, you say that about me but not the idiot next to you?”

“At least Yuji isn’t a literal menace like you.”

“Can we please focus on the project?” Yuji sighs.

“Whatever.” Sukuna grumbles and keeps tossing trash around.

“I’ll research the start half if you research the end half.” Yuji says to you.

“Mkay, I can also make the presentation.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Sukuna asks.

“Don’t act like you plan to help, idiot! The school already caught you for vandalizing the bathroom stalls! You’re gonna be busy cleaning all that up before you can even work on the project, and I know you’ll take your sweet ass time cleaning everything up!” Yuji argues with Sukuna.

“Really? First day back and you’re already in trouble?” You tilt your head.

“Don’t act so surprised, everyone knows he’s trouble.” Choso says pointedly.

“Oh, I guess you’ve never met him before today, huh? He gets in trouble quite a lot.” Yuji grins. “Anyways, we should let you get back to work, so have fun!”

Yuji leaves a tip for you and you start cleaning the table, not seeing the way Sukuna’s gaze lingers when you bend to pick up the trash from the ground. You hit your head standing back up and swear you can hear someone snicker.

You drive home, though leaving the parking lot of the cafe takes you almost an hour since your key wouldn’t work. When you get to your apartment, you enter through the front door and cook yourself a simple dinner. You count your tips and see a piece of paper you didn’t notice before.

“Don’t sit there tomorrow or I’ll key your car.”

Wonder who that could be from.

The next day, you head to class, getting there early, and Sukuna is already in “his seat”, giving you a glare as his eyes trail down your body. He really can’t stand you, he decides again. Your outfit today sits a little too perfect, being just tight enough that if someone was looking hard enough (which Sukuna was), they could see the outline of your bra.

You chew on the end of your pencil, a bad habit you’re yet to break, and Yuji shares the research doc to you. You split the work between the two of you and Sukuna just sits in the doc typing the same three phrases over and over.

“Stop that.” Yuji smacks his brother’s arm.

“I’m not doing anything.”

“You’re typing ‘death and destruction’ as if you’re manifesting it, stop.”

“I’m not just typing that…”

“Don’t get me started on ‘the despair is endless’ and ‘this class shouldn’t exist’. What are you, twelve?”

“I’m twenty-one, like you, dumbass!”

“I’m not the dumbass writing edgy shit on the doc!”

“Oh my god, you two, just let him type his edgy shit and continue researching.” You groan.

Yuji huffs in frustration and continues his research while you check the doc to see what Sukuna is doing. There are fire emojis in the middle of your typing, the words “you work tn?” near the bottom of the page. You sigh and humor him, talking through the document.

“No, why?”

“So I don’t get to throw trash at you later?”

“Nope.”

“How sad.”

You look at him and he has a smirk. You roll your eyes and leave when class is over, tripping over your own feet. He laughs at your misfortune and grunts when Yuji smacks him in the head.

“What was that for?!”

“Don’t go flirting with her, she’s a nice girl who doesn’t need someone like you to fuck up her happiness.”

“I’m not flirting with her!”

“I saw the fucking doc, dipshit. You’re not slick.”

“I was asking if she’d be around for me to torment.”

“You and I both know what your intentions were.”

The tattooed twin grunts and walks off, lighting a cigarette and tripping some nerd who apologizes for being in his way. He wasn’t flirting. He can’t stand you, he tells himself. He can’t stand your quick remarks to his words, can’t stand your stupid doe eyes, the way they squint when you’re focused on typing after the third typo in a row, can’t stand the way you purse your lips and the slight smile on your face when he and Yuji are arguing, definitely not wondering what it’d be like to feel them against his own. Because he wasn’t flirting. Yuji doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

Sukuna smokes and half-ass scrubs the stall he vandalized yesterday. His thoughts are not focused on you, your stupid face, or your dumb words. Totally not. He wasn’t flirting, he reassures himself again. He’s not interested in you. Even if he was, he wouldn’t admit that. You’re just some girl in his class. Not important at all.

He’s late to the cafe and Yuji is fixing the mistakes in the research document. Choso sips his usual black coffee and scrolls on his phone.

“You’re late.” The elder brother points out.

“Had to clean the bathrooms.”

“I see. Your barista friend isn’t here.”

“She’s not my ‘friend’, Choso.”

“She’s Yuji’s friend.”

“Doesn’t make her mine by default, she can have the brat.”

“Says Mister Flirts With Her.” Yuji grins.

“I wasn’t flirting dammit!”

“Why are you getting so defensive, huh?”

“I am not! You’re just a pain in my ass and annoying the hell out of me!”

“Stop screaming, Nanamin will kick us out!” Yuji frowns.

“I still don’t get how you’re so buddy-buddy with the old man.” Choso mumbles.

“He’s pretty cool. Kind of mean, but he makes delicious bread.”

“Literally how the hell are you even aware of that?” Sukuna scoffs.

“Unlike you, I actually talk to people, and get along with them!”

“Whatever…” He scoffs.

Sukuna seems bored. He taps the table to a catchy tune and just waits until it’s time for him to go home. He watches a few groups walk into the cafe and at Yuji working diligently on his laptop.

“At least she does her work. I’d hate to do this project alone.” Yuji says to no one in particular.

“Do you do anything else besides complain?”

“Shut the fuck up, Sukuna. Let me think out loud. And you complain more than I do.”

“Liar.”

“How the hell is that a lie?”

Choso chuckles at his younger brothers. “Sukuna, you do have a streak for complaining more than Yuji.”

“Oh, dare I bring you into this, Choso?”

“You’re right; withdrawn.”

“Let’s just go home already.”

“Yeah, fine.” Yuji frowns and shuts his laptop.

When they get home, Sukuna feels a buzz in his pocket. He checks his phone. There is a text from Gojo, the university’s pretty boy.

Party at my place next Thursday.

This should be fun.

Taglist: @jinxiewritings @midnight-138 @sukioyakio @toffeebrat @hypothetical-hypocritical

@sh0ot1ngst4r @tojideckmuncher @sterzin @theirlgarfield @mikari73

@watyousayin @cherriee-ee @kyojurokoibito @xwhatiams @notsocherries

@ohohcandy @aruraa @samaraxmorgan (Comment or ask and I’ll add you!!)

[backpackingspace]

I have such complicated feelings about Athena's regert in epic. Because on one hand. Athena WAS right. Odysseus did need to listen her. And he did need to kill the cyclops. And her regert and her desire to find a better path for the future makes it seem that wasn't the case. That odysseus was right to adopt polites mindset (WHICH is a whole other post I might write up. I have. Thoughts!)

And that is very much not what Athena is regretting. She regerts leaving and LEAVING ONLY. (And maybe her comment about the dead friends). She regerts not being able to make odysseus listen. And later she regerts what happened to odysseus because she's horrified about what he suffered with calypso.

How many times in those ten years did Athena almost go visit odysseus on the automatic. When she left, she had convinced herself that odysseus was just another mentee just another one of her heros. She had been convincing herself of this for years, for odysseus's whole life basically. And then when she left she found that that was not the case. The pain she felt would not allow her denial anymore. (Yall ever lose a friend? Have a best friend become a stranger? That shit hurts like nothing else.) So at first she's angry and hurting and then later she's idgent with herself (she's not going to apologize first. Like hell shes the goddess here.) and hurting and then she's just lonely and hurting.

Shes not really close to any one on Olympus. And odysseus always took such good care of her (his prayers and devotion and inventions fed her so well) even though she's a war goddess and doesn't need it. And he was always fearless of her. Comfortable with her the way literally nobody else is. (Because he's her friend /her best friend) and Olympus is all politics and cold distance and catering to her father and she tried to go visit diomedes but (the poor boy) is still so afraid of her. And was all great Athena direct me to where you need the spear thrown. (The feeling of heart break is familiar now. She's never felt this human before how do they cope)

And so she's lonely and bored and hurting and she MISSES her best friend. She REGETS leaving. And she's missing and reverting enough to swallow her godly pride and go visit odysseus friend. Maybe she won't apologize first but she can extend the first olive branch. So she goes to Ithaca and does not find him. That's super weird but she does find telemachus

Telemachus who, despite his circumstances is so happy. Who teaches her about how the future could be. And they talk about it, how the future could be. (Honorable warfare. No more camp slaves, so more women hiding in her temples and Athena failing to protect them from being raped. Giving your enemies a the chance to surround and then dealing out a quick death honorable death if they dont.) Telemachus who calls her friend immediately. Who is maybe a shyer happier verison of his father. Who odysseus might be if he ...hadn't had her in his life. (It's a horrible thought. Heart break is a familiar feeling.)

So she hustles telemachus off the island. They make a plan, telemachus will be safe from the suitors. Athena will block the women's door so none of the suitors can go in. And telemachus will look for his father in the mortal relam, seeking odysseus's old comrades and she will look for odysseus in the godly realm.

So Athena, filled with heart break and regret but hopeful for the first time since she was four (and play fighting with pallas) goes time diving for her old friend. And is /horrified/ when she finds him. Finds out how exactly he spent the last seven years. Another one of her chosen violated another one she failed to protect. Her best friend gods. What has she done? This never would have happened if she had never left. Why did she leave? It was odysseus's first fuck offense why did she leave?

She has to help. SHE HAS TO

So off she goes, pissing off her father for the first time ever. And putting her pride to beg (also for the first time ever. Odysseus do you see this shit I'm doing for you)

By the time she's talking to odysseus again. She's spent ten years of heart break missing her best friend, the guilt has cumulated into self blame for not preventing odysseus's violation. (Keep in mind that witnessing trauma is just as traumatizing as going through it. And Athena is a chaste goddess. ) telemachus has shown her a new path for the future. Hence her regert and wondering about leading odysseus astray.

But then this tragic complicated guilt and character growth Athena goes through gets boiled down to actually polites was right (again I have thoughts about his philosophy and that is a completely separate post. As is how telemachus and polities views differ (because they do!!!!!) But again. Separate post.) And any killing at all is bad. And then you have fics where Athena begs odysseus's forgiveness and claims that all killing is bad and (like no hate obvious people can write and headcanon however they want. ) it's just an instant fuck no for me and I've got to click out of said fics. And I know this is part due to this culture we've developed lately and childish black and white thinking (bad vs good. No nuace. If anybody disagrees with my opinion that's uncomfortable and that threatens me so therefore that person is evil and I must attack them) and partially because in fandom things get summerize, nauce gets lost. And it's hard to see the nuace in a musical playlist anyway. And everybody is going to interpret things differently and all that.

But at the end of the day. Athena was right that the cyclops needed to be killed. And she knows this she doesn't regret this. Just how she handled the situation , just that she was so ubrupt with her best friend, everything that led to odysseus being trapped on that island for seven years.

[ducktracy]

Crayon Shin-chan: Great Adventure in Henderland (1996)

Directed by Mitsuru Hongo Written by Mitsuru Hongo and Keiichi Hara Storyboards by Mitsuru Hongo, Keiichi Hara and Masaaki Yuasa

[devotedlystrangewizard]

my favorite authorization moments are honestly when the hunter starts walking towards the monster only to stop dead in their tracks and go "alma?". its so silly and it makes so much sense and i LOVE the existence of verbal permission rather than just implication. i think my hunter is autistic as shit

[hijackalx]

made my own companion height chart since nobody else Gets It

this is how gale thinks everyone sees him and astarion and it pisses him off so bad

[sheridoodle]

Watching the Poirot series for the first time and I’m entirely convinced this is just some eccentric queer friend group’s ‘Monster of the Week’ party.

[smile-files]

oh yeah, to go back on my unhealthy familial ranhen bs... randall does (or at least did, in his youth) see himself as an integral part of a grand destiny, the chosen one to unearth the secrets of the akbadain ruins; part of why i suspect he has npd is because of this fixation with his own grandeur, and the subsequent breakdown of his sense of self when he feels a) that he has failed to fulfil his role in that grand destiny or b) that this role has been stolen from him. because of this tie between his identity and the role he sees predestined for himself, randall becomes incredibly frustrated when most everyone in his life denies this role: his father sees archeology as frivolous and a waste of time, angela sees it as dangerous, and hershel just can't seem to figure out why randall finds it so interesting. the only real exception to this is henry, who not only understands what randall is thinking, but probably believes it: henry practically worships randall for having had mercy on him as a child (as henry would see it), after all, so it wouldn't be in the least surprising if henry sees the same grand destiny ahead of randall which randall sees himself. either way, henry treats randall like the chosen one randall sees himself as: henry was thus able to help randall prepare for his expedition to the akbadain ruins, as we know, but one can also imagine that henry's belief in randall spurred randall on to continue thinking all of this himself. in a way, randall relied on henry's unwavering belief in him, for nobody else saw himself the way he did - for better or for worse - which made it all the more earth-shattering for him when descole "revealed" henry's betrayal, how henry apparently stole his destiny. by no means do i think randall is malicious or selfish, really; he is naturally quite self-centered, i believe, but he's still incredibly compassionate. he wants the best for henry, and he loves henry like a brother - i just think it would take a lot for randall to really recognize how henry has been worshipping him, and how he's fed off of henry's worship all of this time. and this would be especially difficult to parse through, considering how randall and henry feed into each other's unhealthy loops... randall loves henry, so henry worships randall, so randall loves henry, so henry worships randall...

[steamworksfairy]

Don't mind me. Just sharing the latest thing I drew because I'm beyond proud of this one. I died close to the end but even still I can't believe how much I improved with this one. (Of course there are still some things I need to work on but I' happy with how this turned out.) She's another khr oc tho since this is just a practice sketch I won't share much other than her name is Alycia Belladonna and she's connected to the Varia.

[mysticdragon3md3]

Viktor’s ENDING Explained: The Role of Jayce in Helping Him See the Truth | Arcane S2 by Georgia Dow

Her previous JayVik vid:

The Psychology of Arcane: Jayce and Viktor — Therapist Reacts! by Georgia Dow

[skitskatdacat63]

"The Boy With The Thorn in His Side"(x) - The Smiths × 2023 Strollonso moments + pundits' reactions

[princesscomplexed]

another controversial take from me lol but you can do all the reading you want about butch femme but at the end of the day these are active dynamics that can only be done with another person or other people. this is not to say you must be in a romantic/sexual relationship to be a “true” butch or femme but um…you need to engage in the dynamic outside of tumblr discourse and shared pdfs

[keyh0use]

If Barry and Rafe were ‘official’, do you think Barry would be met with the same reception at the yacht club as Sofia is this season, with Ruthie calling Rafe out for dating a pogue and also do you think Rafe would have the same reaction of denial? Thought to ask the Topper expert, although I think he kept completely quiet that entire scene

No!

Here's my two main reasons: 1. Sofia can blend in and Barry can't. She isn't a kook but she's surrounded by the wealthiest of them all day, it's something she envies (for good reason, not knocking her for wanting a more comfortable, safer life) and she can play the part well. I seriously doubt visiting parties even realise she doesn't belong. On the flip side I don't think there's a universe where Barry would conform (maybe self indulgent here but Rafe wouldn't expect or want him to) and he would stay true to himself, to his style and mannerisms regardless of social status, company or partner. Because of this the kooks would already know, there's probably not a single one of them who hasn't seen him at a house party dealing, who hasn't seen Rafe trailing after him like a lost, doped up puppy. They were whatever to eachother at Tanneyhill, drinking beer and gossiping in a corner. On the beach, sitting too close as Rafe's eyes droop. In a bar sharing appetizers. What difference would it make to the majority of the north side, or at least the younger generation, if the two of them are doing the same shit in the country club or some benefit their parents forced them them to attend? Besides the obvious in-your-face differences between kooks and Barry, that they would've grown accustomed to by the events of season 4, he's not approachable and the fact he's sold to many, many of them would be reasoning enough for them to keep his name out of their mouth. This segues into reason two but fits here as well, Rafe could actually be himself with Barry, which means he wouldn't have to pretend to be a good guy when someone says something he doesn't like.

2. I feel like their dynamic happened naturally, quietly. Very little discussion. Very personal to them, they just work. They don't do certain things that will upset the other because it's common sense (Barry) or because someone got pissy over the very thought of something (Rafe), whatever it was. Barry definitely claims him verbally; my bitch, my boy, stuff like that. Rafe would do the same, less crude out of fear, but he certainly wouldn't correct others who refer to Barry as his boyfriend. (Meaning Wheezie). So Ruthie has a problem, tries to pick on Rafe for dating a pogue, would Rafe be dumb enough to deny their relationship? I doubt it, at least not out of embarrassment. Who thinks of Barry as a pogue? Not me, not Rafe, do you? He's just a handsome guy who happens to live on the cut. I've always viewed him as other from the kooks and the pogues. If Rafe did downplay their relationship, I think it would be out of uncertainty, the word boyfriend throwing him off and he just spews whatever deflective word vomit that comes to mind, little thought to what he's actually saying. But I know one thing for sure two things for certain my friend, regardless of Rafe's reasoning for denial, there's not a chance in the fiery depths of hell Barry is laid up with him afterwards playing house. I don't know if it's more satisfying to imagine Barry walks out without word, giving Rafe the cold shoulder without an explanation, dodging every call, text, visit; goes all in on revenge, cause he already knows all the soft, mushy parts of Rafe so he can make sure it really hurts this time; or Barry confronts Rafe right there in front of his friends, watches realisation set in, followed by horror, what he's said and done to them, what he's losing...maybe he'll cry, or beg, or chase after someone like Barry in front of all the high class patrons.

Let's just hope Rafe is smarter than that and would rightly put ms. Ruth in her place.

It's not the question so I won't go into Rafe and Topper being surface level friends (they're getting closer, that's the problem), or how having Barry around is necessary for them both to keep their sanity. Instead I'll just say Topper is indifferent to Sofia because her presence doesn't offend or benefit him. I know Topper wonders why Rafe is so determined to put on an act, has questioned him about why he isn't hanging out with Barry, tries not to get too involved in his friends life but it's so difficult when it's just them in the sharing circle.

Anyways I loved this question! Thank you for asking <3